Arizona Sweepstakes Casino Online: How Does Arizona Gaming Laws Work & Is It Legal To Play Real Money Online Casino in AZ?

Is it legal to play at online casinos in Arizona?

The Arizona Department of Gaming is the main regulatory body that legislates and enforces all gambling laws in the state. As per our understanding, online casinos in Arizona are illegal and unregulated.

So while you won’t find any legal real money online casinos with no deposit bonuses in Arizona, you can play at land-based casinos, which are legal in the state and regulated by the Casinos and Tribal Gaming Offices.

• Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-3302: If you are looking for a specific law that states that online casinos are illegal, you won’t find it. However, the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) state that "all gambling is illegal unless specifically excluded."
• Legal forms of gambling: If you go to the Arizona Department of Gaming website, you will find more information on various types of gambling that are legal. The laws and regulations detail what is and what is not allowed in those activities.

Our main takeaway from reviewing the Arizona laws on gambling is that while online casinos in Arizona are illegal, there aren’t very clear laws that are codified in the legal code of the state. So it ultimately falls into a legal gray area.

It is best to not go after random real money online casinos with no deposit bonuses in Arizona, since they might very well turn out to be unverified scam sites. So always make sure to only gamble at legal establishments, both offline and online.

Which forms of gambling are allowed in Arizona?

The history of gambling in Arizona is very interesting. In 1935, Valley State legalized pari-mutuel horse wagering as the first form of legal gambling in the state. Then came the legalization of state lottery in 1980 and it was decided via a public initiative vote.

When it comes to land-based casinos, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act passed in 1988, was the cornerstone of land-based casino legalization in Arizona on tribal land. About 27% of Arizona is designated as tribal land and there are about 25 casinos in Arizona. Below is a list of the casinos.

Here is the complete list of legal forms of gambling in the state:

• Tribal land-based casinos
• Online sports betting
• Daily fantasy sports betting
• Online lottery
• Sweepstakes casinos
• Charitable games like raffles and bingo

The gambling landscape is evolving consistently so keep an eye on future developments.

Is it legal to play at sweepstakes casinos in Arizona?

The Arizona sweepstakes casino laws are pretty straightforward and they are quite similar to the standards we have seen in other states. According to Arizona lawmakers, if you play to conduct a physical sweepstakes in the state, you have to register it with the attorney general's office.

However, since sweepstakes casinos are online and different than real-money gambling, they do not need to be registered as long as they do not charge a consideration from those playing on these sites.

So yes, while you can play at Arizona Sweepstakes legally, you should make sure that the site you are playing at is compliant with state laws.

Do sweepstakes casinos operating in the state of Arizona need to be licensed?

Since sweepstakes casinos function on a different model than typical real-money casinos, they fall under a different set of laws in Arizona. We have confirmed that sweepstakes casinos operating in the state do not need to procure a separate license to be able to offer their services.

However, other industries, like online sports betting and online state lottery, are heavily regulated in the state. This is why if you want to offer online sports betting in Arizona, you will need to secure a license from the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG).

Fun fact: the Arizona Department of Gaming also releases figures from the Arizona’s sports betting activities. In June 2024, bettors wagered approximately $454 million on sports and the state collected $3.15 million in privilege fees.

How do you identify which sweepstakes casinos are legit?

As we mentioned, online sweepstakes casinos in Arizona do not need to secure a license to offer their services in the state. So, how will you know whether a site is worth trusting or not?

As the social casino industry continues to boom, many fake and malicious sites are popping up, and you need to be careful.Here are a few things you can do to be prepared and assess the legitimacy of a sweepstakes site.

What potential future updates on online casinos in Arizona can the people expect?

The future of online casinos in Arizona is unpredictable since there hasn’t been any new legislative activity in that space. However, given the legalization of sports betting in the state, there might be some hope for online casino legalization in the future.

The sports betting legalization effect:

Sports betting was legalized in Arizona in April 2021, when Gov. Doug Ducey signed it into law. Since then, numerous online sportsbooks have popped up in the state, all licensed and registered with the Arizona Department of Gaming.

There’s not much to indicate that real-money online casinos are coming to Arizona anytime soon but given the vague regulations around them, they might pop up in the state soon.

No-deposit bonus playthrough requirements in Arizona

If you want to play sweepstakes games in Arizona, you will have to sign up on a reputed sweepstakes casino site. There are plenty of those around but they will all come with their own rules and perks.

One standard bonus among sweepstakes casinos is the welcome bonus, which usually comes with free GC and SC. If you claim a welcome bonus, remember that you won’t be able to redeem your SC immediately for prizes. You can only redeem your SC points for prizes after you have met certain eligibility requirements.

For example, if you claim the welcome bonus of 5 free SC, 250 Game Coins, and 600 diamonds at High 5 Casino, you will need to play your SC at least once before they are eligible for redemption.

Below, we have compiled a list of the best no-deposit bonuses for Arizona sweepstakes and the respective playthrough requirements.

What are users saying about playing online casinos in Arizona?

From our review of forums like Reddit, we have discovered that most of the online conversation around gambling in Arizona revolves around land-based casinos since those are legal and widely available in the state.

We have found threads discussing casino recommendations in Phoenix, Arizona, and several Redittors recommended Wild Horse Pass, which is a popular physical casino in the area.

Since the legislation around online casinos in Arizona is largely vague, there is a lot of confusion about whether they are legal or not. Many people on Reddit who are residents of Arizona have asked for recommendations about online casinos. For example, a Redditor asked about legit online Baccarat sites in Arizona.

Other Redditors commented on the thread to point out that online casinos are not legal in Arizona. They did mention offshore options but those are illegal and if you want to stay above board, you should avoid playing on unverified offshore online casinos.

It is clear that sweepstakes casinos have become a more popular and safer option for many in Arizona and there are several threads online that confirm that. We found the detailed thread below on Pulsz Casino and there are similar threads about other sweepstakes sites that are making people aware of the bonuses, games, and legal availability of these sweepstakes casinos.

Overall, it looks like sweepstakes casinos are here to stay in Arizona, especially given the lack of legal online casinos in the state. They offer an alternative, where you do not need to wager or make a purchase to access high-quality online casino games. On top of that, the possibility of redeeming your SC for prizes is another major advantage, that players have talked about online.

Final thoughts on online casinos in Arizona

Arizona has legalized several forms of gambling, including land-based casinos on tribal land and online sports betting. However, online casinos are currently illegal in the state and there hasn’t been any recent legislation that would indicate a different fate for them in the future.

In the meantime, Arizona sweepstakes casinos have rushed in to fill the void since they are not designated as gambling sites. Players can sign up to play online casino games but with virtual coins instead of real money. They definitely offer a legal and safer alternative to illegal offshore casinos.

Arizona Legal Sweepstakes Casino FAQ

Disclaimer: Kindly note that we are not legal or tax experts. While we always strive to present the most accurate information, this is not binding legal advice. Always reach out to a licensed lawyer or tax advisor when in doubt.