Introduction to Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019
Arizona slot machine casino gambling consists of 25 tribal casinos spread throughout the state. Each offers slot machines, video poker, video blackjack, video keno, and sometimes more. Arizona’s pari-mutuel wagering sites don’t have slot machines.
Minimum and maximum theoretical payout limits exist for machines at Arizona’s tribal casinos and depend upon the game played. However, no return statistics are publicly available.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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![Downtown Scottsdale [Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019]](http://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/1-arizona-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg.jpg)
Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Arizona*
The minimum legal gambling age in Arizona depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21
- Poker Rooms: 21
- Bingo and Pull-Tabs: 18
- Lottery: 21
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 21
Twenty-one American Indian tribes in Arizona negotiated tribal-state gaming compacts with the state government in 1993. Only Arizona’s Hopi tribe has not negotiated a state-tribal compact.
All casinos offer Class III gaming machines, including slot machines, video poker, video blackjack, and video keno. Arizona’s tribal-state compacts limit the total number of Vegas-style gaming machines to 18,158, including 1,301 machines at each casino.
As of September 1, 2019, Arizona’s tribal casinos have 15,661 Vegas-style gaming machines and 1,201 Class II competition-style gaming machines.
The following video helps identify concerns regarding potential illegal gambling in Arizona.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Arizona
It is legal to own a slot machine in Arizona privately.
![Tonto Natural Bridge State Park [Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019]](http://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2-arizona-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Gaming Control Board in Arizona
The Arizona state legislature established the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) in 1995, a few years after the successful negotiation of tribal-state gaming compacts.
The ADG felt it was essential to have an independent regulatory body with expertise in gaming due to the growth of tribal gaming in Arizona. This tribal gaming oversight is in partnership with Arizona’s 21 American Indian tribes with tribal-state compacts.
In 2015, ADG’s responsibilities expanded to include oversight of pari-mutuel wagering, racing, boxing, and mixed martial arts events conducted in Arizona.
![The University of Arizona [Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019]](http://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/3-arizona-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Casinos in Arizona
There are 25 American Indian tribal casinos in Arizona.
The largest casino in Arizona is Casino Del Sol having over 994 gaming machines and 36 table games.
The second-largest casino is Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino having 1,135 gaming machines and 34 table games.
Commercial Casinos in Arizona
Pari-mutuel wagering of races is available in Arizona, but these facilities do not offer slot machines.
Tribal Casinos in Arizona
There are 25 American Indian tribal casinos in Arizona:
- Apache Gold Casino Resort in San Carlos, located 90 miles east of Phoenix.
- Apache Sky Casino in Winkelman, located 70 miles north of Tucson.
- BlueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, located 160 miles west of Phoenix.
- Bucky’s Casino in Prescott, located 91 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
- Casino Arizona in Scottsdale, located 15 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Casino Del Sol in Tucson.
- Casino of the Sun in Tucson.
- Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde, located 50 miles south of Flagstaff.
- Cocopah Resort in Somerton, located 13 miles southwest of Yuma.
- Desert Diamond Casino – Sahuarita located 20 miles south of Tucson.
- Desert Diamond Casino – Tucson
- Desert Diamond Casino – West Valley Resort in Glendale, a northwestern suburb of Phoenix.
- Desert Diamond Casino – Why in Ajo, located 125 miles southwest of Phoenix.
- Fort McDowell Casino in Fountain Hills, located 25 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Lone Butte in Chandler, located 10 miles southwest of Phoenix.
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Vee Quiva in Laveen, located 10 miles southwest of Phoenix.
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, located 25 miles southeast of Phoenix.
- Harrah’s Ak Chin Casino Resort in Maricopa, located 25 miles south of Phoenix.
- Hon-Dah Resort Casino in Pinetop, located 190 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson, located 90 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Paradise Casino Arizona in Yuma, located 244 miles west of Tucson.
- Spirit Mountain Casino in Mohave Valley, located 120 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
- Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, located 15 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort located 40 miles east of Flagstaff.
- Yavapai Casino in Prescott, located 91 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
![Map of Arizona Casinos [Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019]](http://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/4-arizona-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Arizona slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Arizona is:
- North: Utah Slots
- East: New Mexico Slots
- South: Mexico’s states of Sonora and Baja California
- West: California Slots and Nevada Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my state-specific blog for that neighboring state to Arizona.
![Join Our Slots Community [Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019]](http://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5-arizona-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Our Arizona Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Arizona? If so, join our new Arizona slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in or near Arizona. Join us!
Payout Returns in Arizona
The tribal-state gaming compacts between Arizona and its tribes have placed limits on payout returns for gaming machines based on the type of game. All gaming machines have a maximum theoretical return of 100%.
The minimum theoretical payout returns limits for Class III machines, over the expected lifetime of the game, are:
- Slot machines: 80%
- Video blackjack: 83%
- Video keno: 75%
- Video poker: 83%
Actual payout return statistics are not publicly available.
![Meteor Crater National Landmark [Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019]](http://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/6-arizona-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Summary of Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019
Arizona slot machine casino gambling consists of 25 tribal casinos with 15,661 Class III Vegas-style gaming machines offering slots as well as video poker, blackjack, and keno.
Theoretical payout return limits for slot machines are a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 100%. No payout return statistics are publicly available.
Annual Progress in Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, the total number of Class III gaming machines has increased by 271. This total is 2,497 machines short of the legal limit imposed by Arizona’s tribal-state gaming compacts.
