Kindred Group announced today a new agreement in Arizona that allowed the group to obtain nine Limited Event Wagering Operator (LEWO) licenses and further expand the footprint of its flagship brand Unibet in the state.
Unibet’s Expansion in Arizona
The new agreement between Kindred Group and Turf Paradise granted Unibet nine new LEWO licenses for sports betting in Arizona that will boost the brand’s awareness and further expansion in the state.
“Being awarded nine of the ten LEWO licenses is a great outcome for Kindred, Turf Paradise and our partners in the State. This is a great opportunity for Kindred Group to expand the Unibet brand in Arizona and build on the early success in the State.”
Manuel Stan, SVP North America, Kindred Group
Kindred launched its Unibet-branded retail sportsbook lounge in the Grand Canyon State in partnership with the Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation at Paradise Casino in Yuma in September last year, following the market access agreement the group had signed with the tribe in February.
“Over the next few months, we will work closely with our partners to prepare the launches in the different locations and are excited to be able to bring our best-in-class product to more customers in Arizona.”
Manuel Stan, SVP North America, Kindred Group
Following the new partnership with Turf Paradise, wagering through Unibet will be available at Turf Paradise, Brookside II, Charley’s Sports Grill, Gallagher’s 16th, Gallagher’s Baseline, Harold’s, R.T.O’Sulivan, Boston’s Bar and Midtown Tavern, significantly expanding the brand’s footprint in Arizona.
Sportsbook Operations in the Focus
The new agreement signaled the increased role the Swedish-based gambling group is expecting its sports betting operations would play in the future, as well as the importance of Arizona as a gaming jurisdiction that holds huge growth potential.
Arizona became the first state to hit $1 billion in just three months of operation, having officially launched sports betting in September 2021, revealed the monthly wagering report for November released by the Arizona Department of Gaming in January.
Last month, Kindred signed new three-year extension to its contract with Kambi Group that is yet to expire. The new arrangement ensured that the sports betting technology provider would continue to power the group’s sportsbook operations throughout 2026.
Also in February, Kindred announced an ambitious plan to take end-to-end control of its sportsbook platform, thereby ramping up recruitment efforts in a bid to attract new talent and bolster its trading capabilities, hoping to effectively double its workforce and reach 400 people.