Arizona has raised the Division of Problem Gambling’s spending authority to $4.5 million for fiscal 2027 and, for the first time, given it grant oversight power. The change gives the division more control over prevention and treatment funding.
Under Senate Bill 1847 and the FY2027 budget, the division can spend $4 million, a 20% increase from FY2026. Legislators also created a separate annual $500,000 allocation from event-wagering tax revenue, bringing the total spending authority to $4.5 million.
The new oversight authority allows the division to direct money toward specific prevention and treatment programmes. The division already works with Arizona’s tribal nations and the Arizona Lottery on statewide prevention, education and treatment initiatives.
Arizona also has a self-exclusion programme that lets people exclude themselves from licensed event-wagering operators and participating gaming facilities for one, five or 10 years. The programme requires a notarised form and a current photo sent by mail or submitted in person, and more than 11,900 people have enrolled, with about 2,500 active participants.
In January, the Arizona Department of Gaming awarded its first peer support and recovery services contract to Dezerve Counseling LLC. The programme pairs participants with peer support specialists who have lived experience of problem gambling, is funded at $350,000 a year and was expected to launch in spring 2026.
Arizona’s regulated event-wagering figures also rose. In October 2025, bettors wagered about $967 million on sports and events, up 22.2% from a year earlier, while the state collected about $5.2 million in privilege fees. Fiscal-year-to-date regulated event-wagering and fantasy-sports privilege fees totalled $20.7 million, including $20.2 million from event wagering and $462,576 from fantasy sports. The department said the operator-reported numbers were subject to audit and review and carried no assurance of accuracy.
Governor Hobbs also signed Senate Bill 1671, giving the Arizona Department of Gaming a six-year continuation to keep regulating tribal gaming, sports betting, fantasy sports and horse racing. Focus Gaming News quoted director Jackie Johnson as saying the continuation would help the department strengthen its focus on consumer protection and integrity.
