TUCSON, Ariz. (May 11, 2023) — Desert Diamond Sports was honored at the 2023 SBC Awards North America with two prestigious awards: Industry Rising Star of the Year and Tribal Gaming Operator of the Year. Desert Diamond Sports alongside Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment are enterprises of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Both entities have undertaken an incredible journey to become leaders in Arizona’s burgeoning sports wagering market.
Desert Diamond Sports is the only locally-owned mobile sports wagering operator in Arizona. Beginning in August 2021 with a small initial team, the operation started out from the ground up and far behind its competitors who operated in multiple states. With the support of partners Kambi and Strive, Desert Diamond Sports launched its website and mobile apps at the end of January 2022. Now, after a year and a half of hard work, this local operation has grown into the fifth largest mobile operator in the state, just behind nationally-recognized brands FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars.
Desert Diamond Sports succeeded by leveraging its strong local brand with a loyal customer base, hiring a passionate and talented team, and receiving consistent support from the Tohono O’odham Nation and its Gaming Enterprise. The award-winning team continues to improve the sportsbook experience for customers by adding new sports, improving UI/UX, superior customer service, and more.
Desert Diamond Sports’ mobile app complements the retail sportsbook experience offered at Desert Diamond Casinos’ Tucson, Sahuarita and West Valley locations, which launched in December 2021. Together, both operations are enhancing the Desert Diamond brand’s reputation for sports betting entertainment.
Brett Calapp, CEO for Desert Diamond Sports, said “As a new digital sports betting organization entering a very competitive market, we faced unique challenges. We were determined to make an example of our story with the hope of empowering similar local casinos that they too can run their own operations without hiring hundreds of people or selling their license.”
Desert Diamond Sports is Arizona’s leading, locally-owned sports wagering mobile app, available on, the App Store and Google Play Store. Desert Diamond Sports is operated by Desert Diamond Mobile LLC. Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, with three locations in Southern Arizona (Tucson, Sahuarita, and Why) and one in the West Valley in Glendale, AZ, is owned and operated by the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise. Both companies are enterprises of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Additional information can be found at www.playdesertdiamond.com or by calling (909) 402-2278.