Arkansas online sports betting is live, however, it has been slow to develop due to a controversial rule that calls for a 51% revenue-sharing plan (5-15% it typical) was accepted. Private operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM have yet to enter the market, likely because of the rule.
Only two operators have launched thus far: Southland Casino Racing’s Betly online sportsbook, which was only available for Android users, but is now accessible in the Apple Store as well (iOS users). The other, BET Saracen, launched on May 10 after being plagued by delays.
Each of Arkansas’ three casinos are able to launch mobile apps under their own brand, meaning they aren’t required by law to partner with a private operator like DraftKings.
As we said, the arrival of DraftKings into the Arkansas market may take awhile since DK was the main operator opposed (along with BetMGM) to the 51% rule. It’s definitely an outlier compared to the typical 5-15% profit share that most bookmakers realize.
The best mobile sports betting apps are now able to launch in the state, however, as time goes on there are more questions about which operators will enter the market. Arkansas bettors: Bookmark this page for the latest AR sports betting news and developments in the push for online Arkansas sportsbooks.
Yes, Arkansas sports betting launched in March 2022 after a controversial 51% revenue sharing rule was accepted by the joint budget committee in late February. There are two options: Betly Sportsbook and BET Saracen, which launched on May 10.
The slow-developing market is due in large part to opposition, mainly from operators like DraftKings, to language change that calls for casinos to receive 51% of profits from mobile betting (5-15% is typical).
Online sports wagering gives Arkansas residents access to sports wagering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from their smartphone or home computer. That means no more long drives to a casino just to place a sports bet. From Little Rock, the state’s most populous city, the nearest casino is about 60 miles away. Bettors with have access to AR sports betting in the palms of their hands.
With sports betting limited to in-person wagering at casinos, and many Arkansas online bettors crossing the state line to wager in mobile-only Tennessee and elsewhere, the Arkansas Racing Commission took steps to add online sports wagering. In a November 2021 commission meeting, the panel voted to publish rules for online sports wagering and set a public comment period.
“I’d like to see this done as quickly as possible,’’ Arkansas Racing Commission chairman Alex Lieblong said of implementing online sports betting in the state.
The governor did not endorse a 2018 constitutional amendment to allow for in-person sports betting and casino gambling in the state, but when voters approved the measure by a 54-46% margin, Hutchinson said: “The people have spoken, and I respect their will.’’
With Tennessee allowing online-only sports betting and Louisiana sports betting in the process of implementing mobile wagering, Hutchinson has come out in favor of adding online sports wagering, provided the racing commission implements appropriate geofencing measures. Hutchinson said adding online sports wagering would keep Arkansas competitive with some of its neighboring states.
If the legislative Rules Committee approves the rule change to allow Arkansas online sports betting, the governor is expected to sign it.
Key points of Arkansas’ sports betting law, should it come into effect. It would apply to AR betting apps as well as every AR sportsbook online:
Among the top online sportsbooks likely to apply for an online license in Arkansas:
DraftKings already offers legal daily fantasy sports betting in Arkansas and is among the heavyweights in the online sports betting industry. Player-friendly mobile app, solid bonus offers and aggressive marketing help make DraftKings Arkansas Sportsbook app one of the leading sports betting providers in every state it operates. It would likely be one of the best online betting sites Arkansas bettors will have access to.
Like rival DraftKings, FanDuel is a major player in daily fantasy sports in Arkansas and one of the leading national online sports betting providers. FanDuel offers plenty of daily promotions, a wide range of deposit and withdrawal options and an easy-to-use FanDuel Arkansas mobile app. FanDuel would be a formidable player among online betting sites AR.
Online gaming division of gambling giant MGM Resorts International continues to gain market share with aggressive expansion and promotions. Huge betting menu, ranks among top three (with DraftKings and FanDuel) in online sports betting handle in neighboring Tennessee and BetMGM Arkansas betting app would be a major force among AR sports betting sites.
Caesars has entered into partnerships in other states with Cherokee Nation, which was recently approved for a casino license in Pope County. Caesars Arkansas sportsbook app offers one of the highest welcome bonus offers in the industry and the most popular rewards program. A Caesars AR online sportsbook would likely offer a similar, generous welcome bonus.
The in-person sportsbook at Oaklawn Racing & Casino Resort in Hot Springs is partnered with Churchill Downs Inc., the owner of TwinSpires. While known primarily for the Kentucky Derby and pari-mutuel wagering, Churchill Downs owns a fast-growing online sports betting business available in more than a half-dozen states. Given the popularity of Arkansas horse betting, sports betting online on a TwinSpires Arkansas betting app would be appealing given its facebook.
Betly Sportsbook, owned by Delaware North, offers in-person wagering at Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis, Ark. Betly already provides online sports wagering in West Virginia.
Saracen Casino Resort (Pine Bluff) launched its sportsbook, BET Saracen, on May 10. The hope was for a launched timed to coincide with March Madness, but regulatory delays prevented that.
Among the key criteria Bookies.com uses to determine the best online sports betting sites in Arkansas and other states:
The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates all sports betting in the state, and every AR sports betting website will fall under its umbrella. We only consider and recommend sites that are properly licensed and regulated by the commission. We do not review offshore-based sportsbook sites, which lack proper regulation and oversight.
Your AR sports betting site of choice should have a successful sports wagering history and trustworthy reputation in Arkansas and other states in which it operates.
Arkansas online sports betting sites should be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from your smartphone (iOS or Android) or home computer. Downloading the app should be simple and hassle-free.
The top sports betting platforms will reliably offer betting lines on the games you want at fair prices. Deposits and withdrawals should be processed in a timely fashion.
Mobile wagering is the present and future of sports betting (between 80 and 90% of all sports wagers in the U.S. are placed online), so mobile experience is key. That means a multi-functional, player-friendly app that is easy to navigate. Customer service should be available to promptly resolve any potential question or issue.
Most sports betting bonuses are geared toward signing up new accounts and players should take advantage of risk-free first bets and deposit match offers (always read terms and conditions before claiming). Existing players should look for daily promotions such as free odds boosts and reduced juice on select games from their AR online sportsbooks.
How do you want to deposit funds into your Arkansas sports betting account? The best betting sites AR has should offer a wide selection of options, ranging from credit/debit card to e-wallet (such as PayPal), online banking or cash. In many cases, funds are transferred into your Arkansas sports betting account in seconds.
Bettors won’t have any trouble finding betting lines of the NFL, college football or other major sports on their favorite AR sports betting app. But what about games in less popular or international sports leagues? Your Arkansas sportsbook should offer all those options.
Securing the most favorable odds on your wagers will be a key to sports betting success on the best online betting sites AR. We look for moneyline prices that charge the lowest vigs and offer the most value. We encourage players to sign up with more than one Arkansas sportsbook, which allows them to shop and compare odds and prices.
The more options for both, the better. Using the same method to make deposits AND withdrawals usually works best. That usually involves E-wallets, online banking or a Play+ prepaid card.
Withdrawals can be requested at any time and the payout process should be timely. Withdrawals generally require a 24–48-hour approval period. A form of ID may be required for your initial withdrawal. Some sportsbooks allow players to track the status of each withdrawal request.
Arkansas bettors should be confident that all of their wagers are safe and their personal information secure. Your Arkansas sports betting provider should be utilizing the most advanced encryption technology that is available to leading financial institutions. Bettors can also take measures of their own to help keep their accounts safe.
Not yet, but hopefully Arkansas legal mobile sports betting will be available as soon as March. If a rule calling for a 51% revenue sharing plan between casinos and operators clears one final vote, mobile sports betting will launch in Arkansas possibly by the middle of March.
When online sports wagering is formally approved, Arkansas online sportsbook providers will offer mobile sports betting apps for Android and iOS devices, free to download. While the apps are state-specific, the Arkansas FanDuel or DraftKings app will look nearly identical to the companies’ sports betting apps in other states.
Arkansas online sportsbooks are expected to offer a wide range of welcome bonuses and promotions. Bonus offers generally include some form of wagering requirement. The most common bonus offers:
Risk-free first bet: If new account holders lose their first wager, the money is refunded in wagering credits.
Deposit match: The online sportsbook will match up to 100% of the player’s initial deposit. These funds will come with a playthrough requirement, ranging from 1x to up to 25x, so be sure to real the terms and conditions of the online sportsbook Arkansas site before opting in.
Welcome bonus: A small welcome bonus just for signing up.
Among the most popular promotions for existing players are odds boosts, parlay insurance and reduced juice on specific sports or games.
Arkansas online players will find all of the same wager-types (and more) they would find at their favorite casino sportsbook. The most popular sports bets offered:
Online sports providers will also offer live (in-game) betting – wagers placed while the game is in progress with odds continually updated in real time.
Wagering on just about every major sports league is available. Some examples:
Any day you want. Arkansas legalized paid-entry daily fantasy sports in 2017, the 11th state to do so. All of the major daily fantasy sports operators, including FanDuel and DraftKings, currently operate in the Razorback State.
Signing up for an Arkansas online sports betting account will be simple and quick. Before registering, spend some time navigating multiple Arkansas sportsbooks to determine which site(s) work best for you. To sign up:
Arkansas sports betting law allows for wagering on college games involving in-state schools. The University of Arkansas is a member of the Southeastern Conference and by far the most high-profile collegiate program in the state. The best betting apps AR will have plenty of bets available.
The Red Wolves are a football-playing member of the Sun Belt Conference.
The UALR Trojans are a non-football member of the Sun Belt.
Perhaps the most popular team in the NFL is clearly the most popular in the Razorback State. Betting websites AR will have a ton of lines for the Cowboys, including NFL futures, props, in-game betting and the standard moneyline, spread and totals wagers.
The MLB team has more than a dozen radio affiliates in Arkansas and a large fan base throughout the state.
Several state and national resources are available for problem gamblers, including the Arkansas Department of Health & Human Services, Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon and the National Problem Gambling Helpline.
All Arkansas casinos offer self-exclusion programs in which players can voluntarily exclude themselves from wagering for a specific period of time. When Arkansas online sportsbooks go live, all are expected to allow players to set limits on deposits, wagering amounts and time spent on the website.
ARKANSAS SPORTS BETTING, APRIL vs. MARCH
| Total handle | Mobile handle | Revenue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | $8.598M | $3.410M | $749,811 |
| March | $10.686M | $3.298M | $791,848 |
| Change | Down 19.5% | Up 3.4% | Down 5.3% |
Updated May 26
Yes, online sports betting in Arkansas is now legal after a controversial revenue-sharing rule passed in late February 2022. The first Arkansas sportsbook to launch was Southland Racing Casino’s Betly online sportsbook (now available for iOS users as well as Android users). The market may be slow developing since several operators opposed the 51% revenue-sharing agreement. It’s unclear which operators will enter the market.
Online sports betting in Arkansas launched in the early part of March 2022 after the 51% revenue-sharing rule passed through the joint budget committee in late February.
No. But bettors must be physically located inside Arkansas state lines to place a legal wager.
Through geofencing technology, which uses Wi-Fi and GPS to track the location of every wager placed with an Arkansas online sportsbook. Wagers attempted from outside the state are automatically denied access.
All Arkansas bettors must be 21 or older.
Not yet. But online wagering via smartphone or mobile device is expected to go live in March of 2022.
Yes, provided they are properly licensed and regulated by the Arkansas Racing Commission. Offshore betting sites, which lack proper regulation and oversight, are not safe and should be avoided.
Bettors will be asked to provide basic information such as name, address, contact number and create a username and password. The last four digits of your SSN as well as a government-issued ID will also be required.
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