Cliff Casino Casino Issued A Sports Betting License, Then It Was Rescinded Due To An “Error” And Ends Up Not Getting One Afterall

The Arizona Department of Gaming issued an online sports betting license to Cliff Castle Casino, but then pulls back on it saying it was an error and then doesn’t end up issuing one to the Verde Valley casino. Casino officials say on Monday, August 23rd the state issued an “event wagering operator license” for online sports betting. This didn’t come as a surprise to Cliff Castle, since they positioned themselves to obtain one as they partnered with Pointsbet. The casino didn’t announce the news, but a gambling website did. Then on August 25th, the state’s gaming department contacted Cliff Castle Casino, stating the issuance was made due to an “administrative error.” When the state announced which tribes and entities were awarded licenses last Friday, Cliff Castle Casino wasn’t one of them. Cliff Castle Casino General Manager Aaron Moss says, “the fact that we were issued a license and then told that we did not get a license, with no explanation, has raised more questions than answers about the license allocation process.” The casino is owned by the Yavapai-Apache Tribe and revenue from event wagering under the license would have supported tribal programs for the Nation’s members, and would have helped offset the projected negative economic impacts from the expansion of gaming in the Phoenix area, authorized under the 2021 Compact Amendment.