Sporttrade officially went live in Arizona on Thursday, making the Grand Canyon State its fourth U.S. market.
The Philadelphia-based sports betting operator secured market access in August when it was approved to operate in the state by the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADoG).
Sporttrade is partnered with the Quechan Indian tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation and has taken over the license that was previously held by Unibet, which exited the U.S. market in June.
At the time of that announcement, Sporttrade’s founder and CEO Alex Kane wrote on social media that the brand is “laser-focused on delivering a premium experience to folks in Arizona.” He doubled down on that message on Thursday after the launch.
“Today we’re incredibly proud to announce we’ve launched in Arizona,” Kane said in a release. “There is impressive demand for our offering in Arizona because players want a premium option. Sporttrade is a perfect option for players looking to try the future of in-game wagering; incredible prices, near-instant bet acceptance, and the option to view prices in an intuitive probability-based odds format.”
Sporttrade also operates in Iowa and Colorado as a sportsbook and offers exchange wagering in New Jersey. I
“The Quechan Tribe is excited to partner with Sporttrade and their innovations in the sports betting marketplace,” Quechan President Jordan Joaquin said. “Quechan’s statewide mobile sports betting partnership with Sporttrade introduces an exciting new platform of wagering and will provide new and expanded gaming opportunities throughout Arizona which will provide economic benefits for our tribe.”
Plannatech still in the works
Sporttrade was one of two new licensees that the ADoG approved at the start of August.
The other was Plannatech, the technology platform for operator Prime Sports, which is live in New Jersey and Ohio.
Plannatech was granted access to WynnBet’s license in August in partnership with the San Carlos Apache Tribal Gaming Enterprise, although it was not explicitly stated whether the Prime brand would be the one it launches through the license.
Plannatech has not confirmed its expected timeline for entering the state.
Arizona market goes through big changes
Arizona allows 20 online sports betting licensees, 10 of which must partner with tribal nations. The province’s operators generated $3.78 billion in betting handle through the first six months of 2024.
But the state’s market has undergone several changes over recent months, with numerous smaller operators packing their things and leaving.
As well as WynnBet and Unibet, SuperBook, SaharaBets and Super Group’s Betway all exited the Grand Canyon State during the summer. Then, Betfred announced last week that it has stopped taking new sign-ups and bets and will end all operations in Arizona on Nov. 4.