Betfred Sports has this week agreed a deal with WE-KO-PA Casino Resort to launch a sports betting platform in Arizona. The two gaming companies will work to build a Las Vegas-like retail sportsbook in Fort McDowell.
The agreement will simultaneously mark Betfred Sport’s entrance into Arizona’s mobile sports betting market, with an online sportsbook to launch and utilize the company’s branding.
The deal was managed by SCCG Management, a consultancy firm that specialises in sports betting, igaming, technology and sports marketing.
“Arizona is an amazing opportunity for Betfred Sports to continue its expansion in the US after successful launches in Iowa, Colorado and Pennsylvania,” said Mark Stebbings, Betfred Group chief operating officer. “We look forward to working with our fantastic partner, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, to leverage our 50 years of bookmaking experience to bring the best betting options to Arizona sports fans.”
The WE-KO-PA Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and features 166,341-square-feet of gaming, restaurant and entertainment facilities. This includes 246 guest rooms as well as a 25,000-square-foot meeting space.
“The partnership announcement with Betfred Sports marks a new chapter for We-Ko-Pa,” said Bernadine Burnette, president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. “We are excited about the prospect of sports betting in Arizona, and are thrilled to pursue an event wagering license to allow us to offer sports betting to our retail and digital customers.”
Betfred USA Sports is a subsidiary of the UK-based Betfred Group. The company’s US branch is currently licensed to operate in Iowa, Pennsylvania and Colorado, with Nevada and Arizona pending regulatory approval.
The land-based and mobile sportsbooks are expected to launch in late 2021.
