Arizona sports betting will likely launch this Thursday, Sept. 9, after a Superior Court judge denied the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe’s request for an injunction.

The Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe filed a lawsuit in the Maricopa County Superior Court against Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) and Ted Vogt, director of the Arizona Department of Gaming, and were seeking an injunction to delay Arizona’s sports betting launch. The lawsuit claims that Arizona’s sports betting bill is unconstitutional because it violates the state’s Voter Protection Act.

Arizona Sports Betting to Launch Sept. 9

Arizona Superior Court Judge James D. Smith heard arguments this morning from Anni L. Foster, attorney for Gov. Ducey, and Nicole Simmons, attorney for the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe.

Smith wrote this in his decision to deny the injunction:

“The Tribe argued that the hardship is losing the ‘exclusive right to gaming on Indian lands’ under Proposition 202. But Proposition 202 did not purport to freeze in perpetuity the scope of lawful gambling in Arizona.”

Smith noted that parties may appeal decisions not granting an injunction.

A ‘Win for Arizona’

CJ Karamargin, Communications Director for the Office of Gov. Ducey, told Crossing Broad that today’s ruling is a win for Arizona.

“Today’s ruling is not just a win in court, but a win for Arizona. A tremendous amount of work by a diverse group of stakeholders has gone into implementing HB 2772 and the amended tribal-state gaming compacts. The legislation and compacts signed by Gov. Ducey in April were the culmination of a multi-year effort to modernize an industry that has become a critical component of the state’s growing economy. This ruling affirms that, and we could not be more pleased with this outcome,” he said.

A request for comment from the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe legal representatives was not returned.