Arkansas Gambling Laws: What’s Legal and Where to Play

In November 2018, Arkansas voters passed two groundbreaking bills — one involving land-based casinos and one involving land-based sports betting.

Amendment 100 legalized sports betting for the state’s two race tracks: Oaklawn Park and Southland Park. Senate Bill 498 codified the law in 2019. Online sportsbooks and mobile sports betting apps were not allowed for the two tracks, so online bookmaker bets remain unregulated.

Arkansas Issue 4 approved land-based casinos for four Arkansas counties: Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson. A process for deciding the casino licenses and sites remains ongoing at the moment.

You’ll find casino gambling at two sites currently: a horse track (Oaklawn Park) and a dog track (Southland Park).

These venues gained the right to convert to full casinos (from racinos) in 2018. Prior to 2018, both tracks could host slots, though blackjack, poker, and craps were banned.

It was a trade-off, because Arkansas voters also approved four more land-based casinos (still to be built). Those casinos will be found in Crittenden County, Garland County, Pope County, and Jefferson County.

The two pari-mutuel wagering tracks, Oaklawn Park and Southland Park, are the only legal venues for pari-mutuel wagers.

Both have pari-mutuel wagering and simulcasting for races in over 200 venues nationwide. Other than the two tracks, no OTB facilities exist in Arkansas. You’ll need to visit the two race tracks to bet on horse races or dog races.

Arkansas passed the Charitable Bingo and Raffles Enabling Act in 2007.

Thus, licensed Arkansas charitable organization host bingo nights and raffles throughout the year. You won’t find as many bingo halls as state that legalized charitable gambling decades ago, but they exist.

Along with the 2018 casino and sports betting laws, the 2007 bingo and raffle law are proof that Arkansas is becoming more open-minded towards legalized gambling.

Home poker games are inadvisable in Arkansas. The gambling laws are punitive and the law itself is somewhat murky on home games.

If you host poker games at your home, don’t charge a poker rake because it’s strictly illegal. Big fines and jail time up to 1 year is possible.

Social gaming sites like Slotomania, Zynga, Big Fish Games, and Double Down Casino accept players from Arkansas.

Download a social gaming app and you’ll be able to play casino games on Facebook and other social gaming sites. You can download casino apps for Android and iOS, but online gambling for real money isn’t allowed.

Also, MyMGM accepts players from Arkansas. MyMGM is the free online casino site owned by MGM Resorts. Players receive virtual chips to play for fun and promotional purposes. While MyMGM doesn’t offer real money gaming, players can win real money rewards they can use at MGM Resorts casinos in nearby Mississippi.