Top Online Live Dealer Casinos for Arkansas

When it comes to Southern states, gambling — both land-based and online — is either non-existent or heavily regulated and limited to certain activities. Arkansas is no exception: online gambling here is not allowed, sending 100s of fans of virtual wagering to international platforms. Land-based gambling is limited to certain forms of betting and games of chance. That being said, Arkansas is still fairly liberal when compared to some of its neighbors in the Southern states (we feel you, players from Alabama).

Currently, the state allows casino games (slots and table games) in a few limited locations, as well as pari-mutuel horse and dog race and sports wagering, including live racing, simulcasts, and instants, as well as an online sportsbook. The lottery is available to the residents of the state, and so are certain forms of charitable gambling.

When we are talking about charitable gambling, it is first and foremost Raffles and Bingo for Arkansas. There are no taxes on Raffles, and any bona fide non-profit organization can hold Raffles evens any time it wants. When it comes to Bingo, however, the state expects an organization to get a license first.

In the reviewed state, the regulatory bodies for gambling are the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, as well as the Arkansas Racing Commission. Key legislation that regulated betting and games of chance is the Arkansas Constitution paired with the Local Option Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act 2005.

The minimum gambling age for betting is 18 years. A resident of Arkansas must be at least 21 to qualify to play slots and poker games.

Land-Based Casinos in Arkansas

In 2012, there were active talks of the state broadening its licensing for commercially operated land-based casinos but that never turned into concrete action. By the time we were ready to roll out this review, four licenses were issued for the land-based casinos in Arkansas. The permits were granted during the 2018 referendum. Plus, Oaklawn Park Racing & Gaming and Southland Park Racetrack may lawfully offer limited casino-style gambling, in addition to the betting services. The locations are now go-to destinations for blackjack, poker, roulette, slots, and a host of other table games.

Pari-Mutuel Betting in Arkansas

Oaklawn Park Racing & Gaming and Southland Park Racetrack lawfully offer betting services. These include pari-mutuel horse and dog races and sports wagering, including live racing, simulcasts, and instants.

Bets on racing are possible not only offline but also online within the state but only on certain platforms. These must be websites curated by Oaklawn Racing & Gaming. The company holds an exclusive license to operate advanced deposit wagering at two sites, one of them is held in partnership with Churchill Downs. The first interactive platform for betting went live in 2014.

Virtual Sportsbook was legalized in 2022, with a requirement for sports betting licensees to retain a minimum of 51% of sports betting gross win. The Southland Casino was the first one to roll out its Betly online sportsbook in March of 2022.

Lotteries in Arkansas

Lotteries in the state are regulated by Arkansas State Lottery, and this institution holds a monopoly on land-based lottery products. Interactive lotteries are outlawed. As of April 2017, it is legal to use debit cards to purchase lottery tickets — it took two years of discussions to turn the bill that legalized this action into law.

The surplus from the lottery is circulated to fund educational programs.