Arkansas Gaming Laws

• Year Arkansas Regulated Gambling: Horse racing (1929), Greyhound Racing (1957), Racinos (2005), Lottery (2009)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: About $90 million per year
• Estimated Gambling Revenue (from casinos): $427 million including lottery, racing and casino games
• Arkansas Gambling Age: 18 for lottery and racing, 21 for casinos
• Smoking ban: Arkansas’ smoking ban does not apply to gaming establishments
• Arkansas Online gambling: Pari-mutuel racing is legal over the Internet in Arkansas

Arkansas Gambling Laws Best time to play in online casinos and slot machines February 15, 2021 / in /. Online slots best odds. Free spins on registration without deposit according to the powerhouses in addition, the maximum allowed per bet. Yet experts say there is growing evidence. The unique facet of Arkansas gambling laws are how specifically each act is broken down. Whereas most states opt to define betting or wagering in one section, Arkansas legislation has three, one devoted to games of chance, one devoted to sports betting, and a section for games of skill. Gambling Laws in Arkansas Gambling in general is prohibited in Arkansas. While there are changes happened at the moment with regards to land-based casinos, this page will focus on the situation for online gaming and fantasy sports. All gambling on sports. The legal age to gamble in Arkansas is 21, and this is the standard age that you will have to contend with for most websites that accept gamblers from Arkansas. It is very important that you read all the laws regarding age before you make any sort of gambling purchase.

Arkansas gambling has a long history in this state. Most of it revolved around Hot Springs. Arkansas casinos sprang up in the city during the Great Depression. Nearly a dozen gaming establishments operated in Hot Springs at one time. It rivaled Las Vegas in terms of casino gaming in the 1930s.

The post-war era was not kind to Arkansas’ gambling industry, which operated in a gray area. A conservative movement put an end to the casino industry that operated somewhere near an underground level in its final days.

Arkansas casino gambling was revived in the 2000s. A state lottery was also created during this era. Greyhound racing was established in 1957, although horse racing in Arkansas dates back to 1929. The legality of pari-mutuel betting varied in the years between. The two tracks that operate dog tracks are home to the only two casinos in Arkansas. As of today, online casino gambling is not legal in the state of Arkansas.

Oregon Gaming Laws On Raffles

November 2018 Update

During this year’s midterm elections, voters approved casino legalization in four counties – Garland, Crittenden, Jefferson, and Pope. Over 54% of voters approved the measure. This will see the Oaklawn horse track located in Hot Springs and the Southland dog track in the West Memphis area allowed to offer casino gaming.

Arkansas Raffle Laws

The state will now be able to offer casino games, keeping revenues from leaving Arkansas as players visit neighboring areas to gamble.

Arkansas Casinos Map & Guide

• Oaklawn Park
• Southland Park

• Number of B&M Casinos: 2
• Number of Poker Rooms: 3
• Number of Indian Casinos: 0

Types of Arkansas Online Gambling Allowed

The only form of online gambling specifically legal in Arkansas is pari-mutuel betting. Internet bets are permitted on greyhound and horse races at sites like TVG and TwinSpires. Daily fantasy sports sites assert that their business is legal in Arkansas. Some legal experts refute this opinion. Arkansas has not issued an opinion on the daily fantasy sports industry so companies that include DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports, and Yahoo continue to accept action from the state.

Types of Arkansas Live Gambling

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: Yes
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

Arkansas Charitable Gaming Laws

Greyhound racing is the oldest form of legalized gambling in Arkansas. The state’s two tracks were permitted to offer slots, video poker, and table games that require skill in 2005. Games of chance were legalized in 2012. This includes craps, roulette, and real money keno. Video versions of these games were already available on the racino floors of Oaklawn and Southland.

Poker rooms at the state’s two racinos offer electronic tables distributed by PokerTek. These are known as PokerPro machines. This means there is no dealer. The cards are dealt by a machine. This gives players more hands per hour and saves on tips. There are two casinos in Arkansas, Oaklawn and Southland offer simulcast betting on horses and greyhounds. They also offer regular casino games like blackjack, roulette, and many different slot machines.

The Arkansas Lottery was created in 2008. Interstate lotto tickets are sold, as well as standard scratch-offs that are similar to pull-tabs.

Arkansas Gaming Laws

Arkansas Gambling Laws

There are four forms of legalized gambling in Arkansas. Greyhound racing originated in 1957. Pari-mutuel wagering has been legal since that year. The racetracks were granted permission to add casino games in 2005. This was approved because Arkansas tracks lost business to casinos in Tunica County, Mississippi. Memphis is an equal distance from the Arkansas casinos and Tunica.

Slots, video poker, video table games, electronic poker tables and table games that require skill were the first games added to the state’s list of legalized gambling. Craps and roulette were added as approved games in 2012.

Voters approved a state lottery in 2008. The first tickets were sold the following year. Scratch-off and lotto sales are permitted.

Charities may offer small-scale gambling to fund operations. This includes raffles and bingo.

The minimum gambling age in Arkansas for playing the lottery and greyhounds is 18 years. The Arkansas casinos and tracks at Oaklawn Park and Southland Park require players to be at least 21 years old.

List of Arkansas Casinos

Despite these Arkansas casinos being racinos, they still offer most of the games you would find at regular casinos. These games include blackjack, roulette, craps, slots, and even live poker. Below you can find the casino locations and websites, but if you want a more detailed route, you can use our Arkansas casinos map as a guide.

Arkansas Gambling History

Arkansas was originally a state that looked the other way when it came to gambling. Arkansas casinos appeared in Hot Springs during the Prohibition era. Full-scale gaming operations that resembled establishments in Nevada were commonplace. The Baby Boom years put an end to this type of gambling in Arkansas. The last Arkansas casino in Hot Springs closed its doors in 1967.

The only form of legal Arkansas gambling after Hot Springs was shut down was greyhound racing until racinos were approved in 2005. Slots, video poker, and table games that require skill were first approved. This was expanded to games of luck in 2012. A state lottery was created through a statewide constitutional referendum in 2008.

Arkansas Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Off-track betting on greyhounds and horses is the only form of legal online betting.

Daily fantasy sports sites claim to fall under Arkansas’ skill gaming exemption. This point is debated among legal experts.

Arkansas is one of just 11 states where live greyhound racing is still legal. Two of the last 21 greyhound tracks in the country are located in Arkansas.

Yes, but the rooms at Oaklawn Park and Southland Park use electronic tables.

Yes. Voters approved it in 2008. The first tickets were sold in September 2009.

Full-scale casinos operate in Arkansas.

Oaklawn Park and Southland Park are the state’s two casinos.

Poker, slots, video poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, keno, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, baccarat and Ultimate Texas Hold’em are among the legal games in Arkansas.

The minimum gambling age for Arkansas casinos is 21 years, and for lottery and racing is 18 years.

Code Section
5-66-101 et seq.; 23-110 et seq

Gambling
Betting any money or any valuable thing on any game of hazard or skill

Horse Racing/Off-Track Betting
Pari-mutuel wagering only

Dog Racing/Off-Track Betting
Franchised greyhound racing legal, pari-mutuel wagering only

Casinos Allowed?
Gambling houses and devices banned

Other Kinds of Gambling-Related Activities Allowed or Banned
Gambling in which prizes are not offered as a lure to separate players from their money allowed. Social gambling allowed. Raffles allowed