Arkansas Sports Betting

Recent news and details about sports betting in Arkansas

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Written by
Brett Collson
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Written by Brett Collson
fact-check-iconFact checked by
Matt Burke
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Fact checked by Matt Burke

By virtue of a November 2018 referendum, Arkansas fully legalized sports betting. Now, the Natural State is offering real-money sports wagering as of July 1 after hammering out the regulatory details.

Where can I bet on sports in Arkansas?

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort was approved to begin accepting wagers on July 1 on followed through with its sportsbook opening on the same day.

Oaklawn has already begun construction on a $100 million expansion project at Hot Springs. The plan, according to property manager Wayne Smith, is for Oaklawn to incorporate sports betting into its existing racebook on the casino floor.

Oaklawn has partnered with SBTech to provide on-site mobile betting on the property. Currently, mobile betting off the casino property in Arkansas is prohibited.

Arkansas Sports Betting FAQ

Yes. Arkansas voters approved a referendum in November 2018 to legalize sports betting.

Not yet. The current casino rules expressly prohibit off-premise wagering, which includes mobile betting. A bill to legalize mobile sports betting died in a Senate committee in April 2019. However, the issue could certainly return, particularly if retail wagering goes crazy if it launches.

Arkansas sports betting launched on July 1 at the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.

Yes. Surprisingly, Arkansas dove headfirst into gambling with the November 2018 referendum. The same measure that legalized sports betting also called for the establishment of up to four Vegas-style casinos. There are also multiple horse tracks available in the state.

21, for the most part, although 18-year-olds can bet on horses.

No. Bovada, MyBookie and other offshore sportsbooks exist in a grey legal area. Exercise caution if you choose to play on these sites, as they are not legal, regulated American companies. In the case of disputes, recouping one’s loss may prove quite difficult.

Generally speaking, no. Arkansas is a state without much leeway for gambling, and until recently, was hostile to most expressions of it. Though times may be changing there, it is still a bad idea to gamble privately in the Natural State.

Recent Arkansas News

BetSaracen ‘Outpacing’ Early Arkansas Sports Betting Expectations

May 17, 2022

Bet Saracen was widely expected to be the first Arkansas sports betting app to go live, around March Madness. That did not happen, of course. The process was held up for two months by various delays and is still not entirely complete, but so far the results are positive after launching online AR sports betting […]

The post BetSaracen ‘Outpacing’ Early Arkansas Sports Betting Expectations appeared first on Legal Sports Report.

Opinion: About That Dormant Commerce Clause In Arkansas Sports Betting

February 25, 2022

The Dormant Commerce Clause is a fairly complex area of constitutional law somehow recently thrust into an Arkansas sports betting discussion. Despite that, it has recently become en vogue for various groups to suggest that various laws violate the Clause, including this month in Arkansas sports betting. The NCAA, for instance, asserted that California’s name, […]

The post Opinion: About That Dormant Commerce Clause In Arkansas Sports Betting appeared first on Legal Sports Report.

Mobile Arkansas Sports Betting Can Launch In March

February 22, 2022

Rules that allow mobile Arkansas sports betting were approved Tuesday, paving the way for operators to launch before March Madness. The Administrative Rule Review Subcommittee approved the last rule necessary for sports betting in Arkansas to expand online last week with plenty of debate. Full committee approval came much easier Tuesday with the subcommittee’s report […]

The post Mobile Arkansas Sports Betting Can Launch In March appeared first on Legal Sports Report.