Navajo Nation partners Hard Rock for Arizona sportsbook launch

The Navajo Nation launched its Arizona sports betting app last Friday, giving bettors across the state one more mobile sportsbook to choose from.

The tribe, which was among 18 entities awarded combined event wagering licenses by the Arizona Department of Gaming in August last year, teamed up with Hard Rock Digital to launch its internet sportsbook product in the Grand Canyon State.

Hard Rock Digital is the online sports betting and iGaming brand of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The two partners announced plans to introduce the platform in Arizona in late January in a deal that also featured cross-marketing opportunities for both the Navajo Nation and Hard Rock brands.

The newly launched sportsbook is available to bettors across the state on both desktop and mobile, and anyone can access the platform and sign up for a player account as long as they are 21 years or older. According to the operator, those who register with the sportsbook can look forward to enjoying a host of promotions and reward features, thousands of betting markets across all major sporting events, and first-class customer support.

Players can download and install the Hard Rock Sportsbook app to their smartphones from the App Store or Play Store for a premium mobile betting experience.

Hard Rock aims to stand out in fast-growing AZ market

Hard Rock is the 18th digital sports betting platform to go live in the maturing AZ online sports betting market. The operator will be competing with well-established brands like DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, BetRivers, Caesars, and Barstool Sportsbook in the state.

In a statement about the launch, Hard Rock Digital’s Executive Managing Director and CEO, Marlon Goldstein, expressed the company’s excitement at launching in the state, noting that Arizonians would appreciate the platform’s friendly interface, exclusive features, and robust betting options. He further said that the brand would leverage its ethical culture, which centers on providing excellent customer support to players, to stand out from the pack.

“Arizona has a rich sports culture and we’re proud to enter the state with our great partners at Navajo nation. We’re excited to debut our new platform, which players of all experience levels will appreciate for its ease of use, unique features, and robust gaming options. Legendary service is part of Hard Rock’s ethos, and we believe our commitment to customer support will help us stand out in this competitive market,” said Goldstein.

The Interim CEO for the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, Brian Parrish added: “We could not be more pleased or proud of our partnership with Hard Rock Digital. The quality and functionality of the mobile platform is outstanding, and we are anticipating great opportunities to cross-market the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) with a premiere gaming-hospitality operator and the world-renowned Hard Rock brand.”

Arizona is the third operational state for the Hard Rock Sportsbook following its successful debut in New Jersey and Iowa. The brand’s licenses in the two states are tied to Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos in Atlantic City and Sioux City, respectively.

All Arizona-licensed online sportsbooks now live

The Navajo Nation is the last approved event wagering operator to debut its offering in the Grand Canyon State.

In August, the ADG allocated 18 sports betting licenses to tribal gaming operators and professional sports organizations based in the state, allowing them to offer both online and on-site wagering services to players in the jurisdiction when the market launched on September 9.

The Navajo Nation was among the 10 tribal operators approved for the offering alongside the Quechan Tribe (Unibet), San Carlos Apache Tribe (WynnBET), Ak-Chin Indian Community (Fubo), Tonto Apache Tribe (TwinSpires), Fort Mojave Indian Tribe (SuperBook Sports), Tohono O’odham Nation (Desert Diamond Sports), Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation (Betfred), San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe (Betway), and the Hualapai Tribe (Golden Nugget).

The other eight licenses went to pro sports teams and organizations. Below is a list of the sports franchises approved to operate digital and physical sportsbooks by the state regulator and their online partners.

• Arizona Diamondbacks – Caesars
• Arizona Coyotes – SaharaBets
• Arizona Cardinals – BetMGM
• Arizona Rattlers – BetRivers
• Phoenix Mercury – Bally Bet
• Phoenix Speedway – Barstool Sportsbook
• Phoenix Suns – FanDuel
• TPC Scottsdale – DraftKings

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