Desert Diamond Casinos in Arizona, an enterprise of the Tohono O’odham Nation, just launched its brand new sportsbook at two of the operator’s three Arizona casinos — West Valley and Sahuarita. The new product allows casino patrons to place their sports wagers using digital betting kiosks available at both locations.
At West Valley, the new sportsbook is located next to the Winners Sports Bar, while those looking to place bets at the Sahuarita casino will find a betting kiosk located next to Taste of Agave. A third sportsbook location is currently being developed at the Tucson property and will offer betting kiosks throughout the casino floor.
The Dec. 2 product launch included a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Sahuarita location. Tohono O’odham Nation Vice Chairwoman Wavalene Saunders was in attendance and had the honor of placing the very first bet at one of the brand new kiosks — a $20 moneyline bet on the Arizona Cardinals.
The arrival of sports betting represents the latest addition to the Desert Diamond Casinos offering, and it has been realized thanks to their partnership with Kambi Group Plc. This past fall, the Malta-based tech company joined forces with Tohono O’odham Nation, one of ten Arizona tribes to receive sports betting licenses earlier this year.
Kambi provides the casino with its full suite of high-end sports betting tech, which includes betting kiosks, “Bring Your Own Device” technology, and the recently-launched enhanced in-event combinability product, which Kambi introduced for the start of the 2021-22 NFL season.
The multi-year partnership allows Desert Diamond Casinos to leverage the power of its brand, as the largest gaming operator in the state, and provide its patrons with sports betting on-site, with additional opportunities for future expansion.
Plans for the launch of an online sportsbook are already in the works as well. The online platform should follow shortly, and it will go live under Desert Diamond Mobile LLC, a new business entity created specifically for this purpose.
Bettors who sign up on their website will receive a notification email and a special initial deposit bonus promotion as soon as the app goes live. According to Desert Diamond Casinos, the launch is planned for fall 2022.
For now, though, those visiting one of the operator’s on-site sportsbooks in Arizona can place their wagers using cash at the brand new digital kiosks. Sahuarita and West Valley both have dedicated sportsbook areas, allowing players to kick back and enjoy food and drinks while watching the games on wall-to-wall TV screens for a complete sports experience.
The leaders of the Tohono O’odham Nation tribe emphasized that opening new sportsbooks means more than just providing bettors with another venue where they can place their wagers and watch sporting events. They believe that the newly-generated revenue will help create new jobs and lead to other improvements on tribal lands including more scholarships and more funds for essential services like police, healthcare, and the fire department.
Like many other gaming venues across the US, the Desert Diamond Casinos locations at Sahuarita and Tucson had to close due to the pandemic. These two venues have only returned to offering 24/7 services again since November, so the addition of sports betting to their gambling offerings will definitely be a nice boost to help them get back on track.
