Remember when in-stadium sportsbooks were supposed to be the future of sports betting? That future lasted about three years.
The Phoenix Suns’ sportsbook at PHX Arena closed in July 2025. Washington shut down its Nationals Park book in September 2025. Audi Field’s book closed in February 2025. Cleveland’s retail sportsbooks are gone. The trend is clear: physical sportsbooks inside stadiums aren’t working.
These weren’t small operations. The Suns’ facility was the first sportsbook inside an NBA venue—7,400 square feet with five betting windows and over 20 self-service kiosks. The Nationals Park book made MLB history when it opened in January 2022. Both are now closed.
The numbers tell the story. Phoenix’s sportsbook lost money in four of the last six months of available data. Cleveland’s brick-and-mortar books lost $226,000 in 2024. Even in markets where they’re legal and promoted, fans aren’t showing up.
In March 2023, NFL owners voted to allow physical sportsbooks at stadiums. Only one NFL stadium—the Washington Commanders’ venue—actually has one. The Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and Jets have books outside their stadiums, not inside. When Missouri legalized sports betting in December 2025, zero teams filed for stadium sportsbook licenses despite being eligible.
Mobile betting dominates. Online betting companies all over the world handle 95% or more of all wagers. Fans at games already have betting apps on their phones. Why walk to a window when you can bet from your seat in five seconds?
The irony? Nevada—home of the Raiders and actual sports betting capital of the world—prohibits in-venue sportsbooks at stadiums. They figured this out before everyone else.
Teams aren’t abandoning the sponsorship money, though. They’re converting failed sportsbooks into branded “lounges.” The Suns replaced their sportsbook with a lounge for season ticket holders. Same branding, no betting windows. It’s a VIP space where fans can use mobile apps while getting the premium experience operators initially promised with physical books.
Turns out convenience beats location. Fans bet from their seats using apps. A physical window adds nothing when everyone already has the same options on their phone.
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