Kambi seals Arizona sports betting deal with Desert Diamond

Malta-based B2B sports betting provider Kambi has landed a sportsbook partnership with the Tohono O’odham Nation – one of the 10 tribal gaming operators awarded event wagering licenses by the Arizona Department of Gaming in August.

The agreement paves the way for Kambi to run retail sports wagering operations at the tribe’s three casinos in Southern Arizona. The Tohono O’odham Nation runs four casinos in the region – Desert Diamond Casinos in Tucson, Glendale, and Sahuarita, and Why.

The facilities will feature Kambi-powered self-service betting kiosks and live windows, allowing players to access the provider’s best-in-class event wagering products like the new football parlay game launched just before the start of the NFL season. Patrons visiting these facilities will also benefit from the company’s innovative bring-your-own-device (BYOD) technology, which makes it easier for players to place wagers while within the premises of a licensed establishment.

In addition to the retail sportsbooks, Kambi will also deploy a mobile betting platform that will be accessible to bettors statewide. The online sportsbook will be known as Desert Diamond Mobile.

Kambi CEO welcomes Desert Diamond Casinos partnership

The partnership with the Tohono O’odham Nation and Desert Diamond Casinos gives Kambi access to the regulated Arizona sports betting market, which is a huge milestone for the supplier. It also reinforces the company’s existing relationship with gaming tribes across the country.

Commenting about the deal, Kambi CEO Kristian Nylen said: “We are very proud to partner with Desert Diamond Casinos and Entertainment, a deal which further strengthens Kambi’s strong relationship with tribal casino operators.

“Desert Diamond Casinos is renowned for offering world-class gaming and entertainment experiences and complements Kambi’s strategy to partner with market leaders. We look forward to working with them closely to deliver high-quality and exciting sports betting experiences to both its on-property patrons and online customers in the state of Arizona.”

Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment also issued a statement about its latest agreement with Kambi. In the statement, the casino noted its excitement at securing the agreement, saying that its partnership with the supplier would put it in a position to provide its guests with a first-rate, multi-channel premium sports betting experience.

“We are delighted to sign this multi-year agreement with Kambi, which has a proven record in sportsbook provision across the globe,” stated Desert Diamond Casino & Entertainment CEO Mike Bean.

“This exciting partnership provides Desert Diamond with the ability to leverage its long standing, well-regarded brand to provide our guests with a leading sports betting product across multiple channels.”

The partners are working on rolling out retail betting before the end of the year, with the online sportsbook set to follow later.

Two Arizona licensees yet to name sportsbook partners

The recent announcement by the Tohono O’odham Nation makes Kambi the 16th company to gain access to the Arizona retail and online betting market via a partnership with an approved operator.

The state regulator issued 18 combined sportsbook licenses in August; eight to professional sports teams and venues and ten to tribal gaming operators. 15 of these licensees had deals with online operators at the time of submitting their applications, while three, including the Tohono O’odham Nation, carried on with the search for the ideal partner even after the state rolled out its regulated market.

With the Tohono O’odham Tribe off the list now, two of Arizona’s licensees still have that hurdle to clear before launching their retail and online sportsbooks – the Arizona Coyotes and Navajo Nation.

The two are expected to announce partnerships before the end of the year.