Arkansas

Arkansas Online Gambling & Sportsbooks in 2022

There has been one substantial change from lawmakers in Arkansas for online iGaming – in February of 2022 a controversial bill was passed to allow online mobile sportsbook operations to begin, with the first launched in April.

There still isn’t any news at the possibility of online casinos becoming legal in Arkansas just yet, however.

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Best Bonuses in Arkansas Casinos

Before signing up at an online casino, new players from Arkansas will often scout the best casino bonuses online. They’re looking for the best free spins, match deposit, and no deposit bonuses online.

However, like buying a new car, it’s best to check under the hood first before falling in love with the flashy exterior. In other words, you’ll want to understand the bonus T&Cs and, in particular, the wagering requirements.

Understandably so, not everyone is comfortable with evaluating whether the bonus T&Cs are fair when they really want to play online poker. Fortunately, we’ve done this for you with our list of online casinos accepting players from Arkansas offering top-notch bonuses. Each operator listed below comes with a casino review put together by our industry experts.

Best New Casinos in Arkansas

If you’re a resident of Arkansas who enjoys casino gambling, you’re unfortunately limited to just four commercial casinos. Besides having to commute, the lack of substantial choice can be a significant deterrent.

These are just two reasons that players from Arkansas have chosen to play online casino games that accept US dollars & Bitcoins. Consider that the best new casinos in Arkansas offer a greater variety of slots, roulette, poker, blackjack, video poker, and more!

Making a USD or BTC deposit or withdrawal has never been easier using alternative online casino payment methods. You’ll be up and running in no time!

If you’re searching for Arkansas online casino gambling, look no further than our favorite licensed casinos listed below. Each comes with a handy casino review designed by our in-house experts to help you choose the one that’s right for you.

Arkansas Gambling Overview

Known as the ‘Natural State,’ Arkansas is located in the south-central United States, home to more than 3,000,000 people. Arkansas gambling laws have been historically restrictive but have been slightly relaxed since 2018.

Lotteries, charity gaming, fantasy sports/daily fantasy sports, land-based casinos (including non-mobile sports betting), pari-mutuel wagering, and horse racing in Arkansas are legal.

Lotteries

Lottery tickets can only be purchased for cash from authorized retailers in Arkansas. State tickets cannot be purchased online or through the mail. However, interstate lottery tickets such as for the Mega Millions and Powerball are available for purchase online.

Online Sports Betting

Sports betting are permitted at land-based sites only. Although there are no firm plans to legalize online gambling on sports, the opportunity cost of lost revenue to offshore casino sites may cause the state to rethink its position on online sports betting.

This is particularly the case if more neighboring states like Tennessee begin to offer legal online gambling. At that point, allowing state residents to make a legal sports bet may seem like a necessary step.

Fantasy Sports & Daily Fantasy Sports

Fantasy Sports and Daily Fantasy Sports have been legal in Arkansas since 2017 after being ruled as not constituting sports betting. This means that fantasy sports providers like FanDuel and DraftKings are free to offer their products to punters in Arkansas.

Charity Gaming in Arkansas

Charitable gaming in Arkansas is permitted, which includes raffles, bingos, and other games of chance. Each requires one of two possible Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration licenses: Class I or Class II.

A temporary raffle license requires a Class II license. Prizes must not exceed $5,000 and must be donated. A bingo license requires a Class I license.

Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel

Pari-mutuels and race betting, simulcast or live, on greyhounds or horses are governed by two separate laws: § 23-110-101 et seq and § 23-111-101 et seq, respectively.

Land-Based Casinos in Arkansas

In April 2019, the first two state-licensed casinos appeared in Arkansas after a November 2018 referendum. Here, voters approved an Arkansas Constitutional amendment to allow four casinos.

Arkansas currently has three commercial casinos, plus a fourth in construction as of the end of January 2021. However, there are no tribal casinos in the state.

Casinos	Address	Website
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort	2705 Central Ave. Hot Springs, AR 71901	www.oaklawn.com
Southland Gaming & Racing	1550 N. Ingram Blvd. West Memphis, AR 72301	www.southlandcasino.com
Saracen Casino	1 Saracen Resort Drive, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 (Jefferson County)	saracenresort.com
River Valley Casino (still in construction)	River Valley Casino Resort –  Russellville, Ar (Pope County)	www.rivervalleycasino.com

Arkansas Casinos Map

State of Arkansas Gambling Laws

The River Valley Casino in Pope County, which was approved in 2018, remains in construction due to delays arising from legal challenges. A competing Cherokee Nation bid for the fourth casino was graded poorly by Commissioner Butch Rice.

On January 27, 2021, the Arkansas Racing Commission determined that the commissioner was biased in making his casino gaming decision, but decided not to overturn the decision.

Arkansas Gambling History

In the original Arkansas Constitution of 1874, the only recognized form of gambling was lotteries, and it was prohibited. As lotteries are undefined, this allowed horserace wagering until 1907, when a bill was passed to outlaw it. There were attempts in 1915 and 1929 to legalize sports betting on horseracing again, but these were vetoed both times after bills were passed.

Finally, in 1935 Arkansas legislature passed Act 46 to legalize pari-mutuel betting on horse races in Hot Springs, Garland. Act 191 legalized pari-mutuel betting and greyhound racing and gave local counties the power to approve and license greyhound racing venues.

Little changed until 2005 where Act 1151 was passed to allow cities and counties to decide whether to allow electronic games of skill at horseracing and greyhound venues of existing facilities only.

The idea of a statewide lottery took off in 2006 when then Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter spearheaded legislation to create a lottery system. This was through a constitutional amendment voted on in 2008 by a margin of approximately 2 to 1, becoming known as Amendment 87. The proceeds would go towards funding educational scholarships.

In 2007, charitable gaming was legalized in Arkansas, which included 140+ organizations.

It was quiet for almost a decade before the 2017 General Assembly passed Acts 1075, allowing daily fantasy and paid fantasy sports from providers like FanDuel and DraftKings.

In 2018, the US Supreme Court struck down The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which prohibited sports gambling in almost all states. States were now free to determine whether or not to allow sports gambling.

When put to a voter referendum in 2018, Arkansans voted to approve a constitutional amendment that would allow commercial casinos, including sports betting, in Hot Springs, West Memphis, Russellville (Poker County), and Pine Bluff (Jefferson County).

A 2020 proposal that would add an additional 16 casinos to a November 3 general election ballot was refused despite a petition with close to 100,000 signatures.

Moves to regulate online gambling?

Will Arkansas take steps to regulate online sports betting and allow people to bet on sports away from the Southland casino racing book? It’s a possibility, at the very least, with plenty of in-state legislators interested in passing an online sports betting bill.

Online gambling is not exactly the same as placing bets at Oaklawn racing casino resort, it’s true, but with betting already legal in some forms, there is a case to be made that online sports betting doesn’t represent a huge break with what is already legal. Arkansas online poker, sports betting and other forms of online gambling could create more jobs in the state.

As with other states that have permitted online gambling, it is possible that Arkansas could give in-state land-based casinos like River Valley Casino, Oaklawn Racing Casino resort or Saracen Casino resort a part in administering online gaming.

Arkansas Gambling FAQ

What is the legal gambling age in Arkansas?

The legal age for most forms of gambling in Arkansas is 18+ except for casinos (including sports betting), where the gambling age is 21+.

Are Tribal Casinos or Commercial Casinos legal in Arkansas?

Yes, 4 commercial casinos, allowing casino and sports betting in Arkansas, were legalized in 2018. These include Southland Casino racing and Saracen Casino resort. However, there are no tribal casinos in Arkansas. Nor does the state permit online gambling.

Is state lotteries or interstate lotteries legal in Arkansas?

Both Arkansas lotteries and interstate lotteries are legal. State lotteries must be purchased for cash from an authorized retailer, but interstate lotteries can be purchased online.

Is sports betting legal in Arkansas?

Yes, sports betting is legal but only at a land-based sports betting location. At the present time, mobile sports betting and online horse betting sites are not permitted.

What gambling forms in Arkansas are legal?

Legal forms of gambling in Arkansas include charity gaming, commercial casinos, pari-mutuel & race betting, lotteries, land-based sports betting, and fantasy sports/daily fantasy sports.

Is online gambling legal in Arkansas?

Online gambling, including mobile sports betting, online casinos, and online poker, are illegal in Arkansas. However, fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports are allowed. State and interstate lotteries such as Mega Millions and Powerball are also permitted. As more states permit online gaming we will see whether Arkansas follows suit, but for now it’s on the “No” list.

Is charity gaming legal in Arkansas?

Charity gaming involving raffles, bingo, or games of chance are legal provided they are licensed by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

Conclusion

We’ll keep you updated as Arkansas continues to modernize its State Constitution to authorize and regulate different forms of gambling. Undoubtedly, this will help Arkansas avoid losing much-needed tax revenue to neighboring states that target players from ‘The Natural State’ with online poker offers and more. Also, an authorized and regulated gambling industry is the best form of player protection that we can think of.

You may want to visit us once in a while for the latest online gambling developments across the USA, and our list of recommended online casinos and bonuses.