Sports gear giant Fanatics is getting into the betting game in Arizona, with the state Department of Gaming giving the green light for the company to start raking in wagers, as reported by the Business Journal on March 20. Through a deal with the Tonto Apache Tribe, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, spawned from the sportswear behemoth Fanatics Inc., snagged one of the event wagering operator licenses up for grabs in the state.

In a play that expands their turf in the US, Fanatics now takes their sports betting operations to a total of 16 states, a swift move following their $225 million acquisition of the online sportsbook PointsBet's U.S. arm last year - they're not just peddling jerseys anymore, this is a full-court press into sports gambling, according to BizJournals. But Arizona's not an open layup, with a crowded field of rivals—they'll have to hustle hard to snag a piece of the state's action from sportsbook heavy hitters like Fan Duel and DraftKings.

The Grand Canyon state's love affair with sports betting has funneled a cool $6.5 billion into the market just last year, fattening the state's coffers by $34.8 million in taxes and fees, the Business Journal notes. With the clock ticking on a 180-day shot clock to get their Arizona game rolling, the virtual betting court is set for Fanatics, and though it's not yet clear whether they'll set up shop at the Tonto Apache’s Mazatzal Hotel & Casino, their digital game is looking to make some noise statewide.

While the splash into Arizona's pool of more than 20 mobile sportsbooks upping its competitive edge, bettors could see some serious maneuvers from Fanatics as they jockey to carve out their niche, ABC15 reports. This isn't Fanatics' first rodeo, with brick-and-mortar locations already operating in Ohio and Maryland—don't bet against them making some fast breaks in the sports betting league here too.