Kambi Group, a B2B provider of sports betting services to licensed gaming operators, has entered into an agreement with the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Desert Diamond Casinos for Arizona sports betting.
According to a joint press release with Tohono O’odham Nation, Kambi will operate retail sportsbooks at the Desert Diamond Casinos in Sahuarita, Tucson, and Phoenix. The sportsbooks will launch at some point in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The multi-year, multi-channel arrangement calls for a deal between Kambi Group and the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Desert Diamond Casinos properties, with Kambi providing technical capabilities for the retail gaming operations. They also intend to launch an online sportsbook in the future.
The Tohono O’odham Nation consists of four federally recognized tribes: the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Gila River Indian Community, the Ak-Chin Indian Community, and the Salt River (Pima Maricopa) Indian community. Each band operates separately but is aligned with a shared mission statement and terms of understanding. The Tohono O’odham Nation is the only one of the four that owns and operates casinos in Arizona. They were granted their sports betting license in 2021 and launched in September.
Reporting by Geoffrey Fisk on ArizonaCasinos.com projects the Arizona sports betting market could reach $252 million in annual revenue. With a minimum tax rate of 8%, that could produce $20.1 million in yearly tax revenue for the state’s General Fund.
About Kambi Group
Based in Malta, Kambi has headquarters in the United States in Philadelphia. It was spun off by Unibet in 2014 as Kambi Group, focusing on betting technology and services for licensed sports betting operators. They have a strategic partnership with virtual sports provider Virtus Sports. In August of this year, Kambi acquired esports data company Abios.
While figures have yet to be released for sports betting in September in Arizona, the unexpected hot start by the NFL’s Cardinals has likely spurred activity from bettors, as well as interest in college football.
About the Author
