Arizona’s NFL franchise, the Cardinals, has announced a deal with the betting operator BetMGM ahead of the launch of the state’s new sports betting industry at the start of September.
The state got the green light to set up a sports betting sector back in May when the Federal authorities cleared the last remaining legal hurdle by agreeing to a new Tribal Compact, and the Arizona Department of Gaming has been working to draft regulations and to approve licenses.
Sports organizations in Arizona have been allocated ten betting licenses, which allow for two separate betting skins or brands, and the Cardinals have announced their arrival on the betting scene by setting up this partnership with BetMGM, part of the MGM Resorts International casino giant.
BetMGM is fast becoming one of the big players in the US sports betting sector, and with their upcoming launch in the Grand Canyon state, will be operating in eleven states across the nation, providing both retail and mobile betting services.
BetMGM at Cardinals Stadium
As part of the new deal, BetMGM will be setting up both retail and mobile betting platforms in Arizona, including a retail sportsbook at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Cardinals.
When the sportsbook outlet launches with the start of the new NFL season, it will make history as the first to be located within an NFL stadium in the US. The state of Illinois and the District of Columbia have both authorized sports betting facilities within the grounds of sports arenas, but Arizona is set to be the first state to put this into practice.
The full details of the retail betting outlet have not yet been released, but it is likely to be based around the familiar sports bar concept, with food and drink and multimedia broadcasting facilities alongside state-of-the-art sports betting. BetMGM will also likely have the approval to associate its branding with the Cardinals across a host of media.
Cardinals Release Unofficial Depth Chart
Ahead of their first pre-season game, the Cardinals have also released their first depth chart, as they begin their preparations for what they hope will be a better campaign than last season.
The last time around they held a solid 5-2 record at the end of October but lost six of their last nine, eventually finishing third in the NFC West and missing out on the playoffs.
This early look at their depth chart plans has not revealed many surprises, although it does confirm that Colt McCoy is currently ahead of Chris Streveler as back-up to starting quarterback Kyler Murray and that despite his progress, Eno Benjamin remains fourth in the Running Backorder. The chart also offers an insight into how much work the Cardinals’ sixth-round draft picks Victor Dimukeje and Tay Gowan have to do if they are to climb the ranks at outside linebacker and cornerback respectively.
