Online bookmaker Betfred announced yesterday that it was closing registrations for new account in the state of Arizona with immediate effect.
The news follows shortly after the company exited the state of Colorado in August and both Ohio and Maryland earlier in 2024. According to the message displayed on the Arizona website, the sportsbook will be fully closed in the state by November 4th, 2024.
Betfred has reduced its US operations to its mobile sportsbook in Iowa, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It also operates retails sportsbooks in Washington State and Nevada but has closed its Louisiana sportsbook.
Speaking earlier this summer, Betfred U.S. CEO Kresimir Spajcic suggested that a full American exit was “on the table … if we don’t have enough value that we can create within the U.S.”
BetFred launched in Arizona in March of 2022 when it partnered with Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and its We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort to become the state’s eleventh mobile sports betting operator.
But 2024 saw the company struggle to improve its position in the state without relying heavily on promotions and bonuses. The first six months of 2024 saw the sportsbook take in a total of $14 million in wagers significantly less than the peak of $5 million in September of 2023.
Following its exit, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation can now partner with another sports betting operator.
Arizona Exits Continue
Arizona ranks among the top seven sports betting markets in the United States. However, despite this, Betfred is now the fourth sportsbook operator to exit the state in 2024.
WynnBET closed its sports betting operations in Arizona in February with Unibet and Betway following in June.
Despite sportsbooks exiting the state, Arizona has awarded two tribal-based sports betting licenses to Sporttrade and Plannatech via the Quechan Indian Tribe and San Carlos Apache Tribe, respectively.
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.
