AZ Depart of Gaming Launches Public Education Campaign

Text to speech audio articles made possible by CAST11 Talking Glass Media

The Arizona Department of Gaming (“the Department”) is proud to announce the launch of its first-ever statewide Public Education Campaign focused on protecting consumers, promoting public awareness, and reducing the harms associated with unregulated gambling. This is a significant milestone in the Department’s ongoing efforts to protect consumers and ensure a safe and responsible gaming environment.

Arizona offers a variety of legal, regulated gaming options throughout the state, including tribal casinos, event wagering, fantasy sports, and parimutuel wagering.

For 30 years, ADG has safeguarded the integrity of Arizona’s gaming industry through rigorous oversight, licensing, and enforcement in accordance with the Tribal-State Gaming Compacts. This new campaign expands on that mission by educating Arizonans on how to avoid illegal gambling and access support services when needed.

The campaign is designed to inform and empower the public by emphasizing the risks of engaging with unlicensed operators and providing them with tools to identify legal, regulated options. It aims to reduce consumer vulnerability, prevent exploitation, and help individuals make informed decisions if they choose to participate in gaming activities.

The campaign kicks off with a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs), developed in collaboration with the Arizona Media Association, which will be aired across TV, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Available in both English and Spanish, the PSAs will:

Educate the public on how to identify legal, regulated gaming operators in Arizona
Emphasize consumer protection and the safeguards provided by regulated gaming environments
Highlight the role regulated gaming plays in supporting Arizona communities and essential services
Promote the 1-800-NEXT STEP helpline, which connects individuals to confidential, 24/7 support for problem gambling

To complement the PSAs, ADG has launched the Check Your Bet webpage, which serves as a centralized resource to verify regulated gaming and access consumer protection tools. The webpage includes:

A searchable list and interactive map of authorized Tribal Casinos in Arizona
A searchable list and interactive map of licensed Event Wagering and Fantasy Sports Operators and their retail locations
Information on Advanced Deposit Wagering Providers (ADWPs), Off-Track Betting (OTB) locations, and permitted horse racing tracks in Arizona
How to access the Division of Problem Gambling’s Helpline, a confidential Problem Gambling Self-Screening Quiz, and additional supportive resources
How to request Self-Exclusion, a voluntary program to prohibit oneself from Tribal Casinos and Event Wagering and Fantasy Sports Contests
Guidance on submitting tips about suspected illegal gambling to the Department and filing consumer complaints with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office

For more information, visit the Check Your Bet webpage at gaming.az.gov/checkyourbet.

“We are proud to celebrate 30 years of providing world-class gaming regulation and consumer protection,” said Jackie Johnson, Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming. “This campaign is about empowering Arizonans who choose to participate in gaming with the knowledge to make informed, responsible decisions. As illegal and unregulated options on the market increase, the Check Your Bet webpage serves as a key resource for the public to verify licensed operators and access support. By directing viewers from our PSAs to this tool, we’re helping ensure people not only play safely, but also know where to turn if they or a loved one are struggling with problem gambling.”

Since its founding in 1995, the Department has worked tirelessly to ensure that Arizona’s gaming industry operates with transparency, integrity, and responsibility. The campaign will run through the end of March 2026 and reflects ADG’s commitment to a safe, transparent, and well-regulated gaming landscape in Arizona.

About the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG)

Established by the Arizona State Legislature in 1995, ADG is the state regulatory agency for tribal gaming, racing and pari-mutuel/simulcast wagering, event wagering/fantasy sports, and unarmed combat sports. ADG also provides and supports education, prevention, and treatment programs for people and families affected by problem gambling through its Division of Problem Gambling and 24-hour confidential helpline, 1-800-NEXT-STEP.