Four major operators prepare to make their entries in the upcoming Arizona sports betting market, as the next National Football League (NFL) approaches.

With legal online sports betting in the state due to commence on 9 September, DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel and Penn National/Barstool Sportsbook have so far announced their intention to operate in the state.

One of the primary objectives of the operators has been to gain a foothold in the state prior to the commencement of the 2020-21 NFL season, whilst BetMGM partnering with the league’s Arizona Cardinals to boost its presence in the space.

BetMGM CEO, Adam Greenblatt, remarked: “It is an exciting day here at BetMGM to get the official sign off to launch on day one of sports betting in Arizona.

“Through our partnerships with Gila River and the Arizona Cardinals, as well as the benefits of being connected to MGM Resorts properties nationwide, we have many exciting things in store for sports fans in Arizona.”

Discussing developments on the latest Legal Sports Report podcast, Adam Candee, Dustin Gauker and Matt Brown shared their views, with the latter arguing that the move is ‘absolutely fantastic for books in Arizona and probably the consumers as well’.

“This is land grab time in Arizona – you have this perfect storm of multiple operators going live right before NFL season starts,” Gauker commented.

“This is going to be big, but it is strange that we are still sitting here less than a week and a half away from a launch ahead of the NFL season, and we’re still not even sure who is getting in, and I’m not even sure the operators know who is getting in.

“DraftKings apparently found out for sure today (31 August), but there are a lot more operators coming out, with the four big ones here, it will be interesting to see who else gets it or if they all get out at the same time.”