TEMPE, AZ — The Arizona Coyotes are asking the Legislature to change a new state law legalizing sports betting so they can keep running their gambling operation when they move to Arizona State University’s hockey arena next season.
But the Arizona Indian Gaming Association and multiple Native American tribes oppose the last-minute measure approved by the Arizona Senate’s appropriations committee on Tuesday.
They argue that the 2021 law allowing sports betting was part of a complex deal they negotiated with Gov. Doug Ducey and should not be changed without consulting the tribes.
The change is needed because ASU’s arena only holds 5,000 people.
