Arkansas’s online gambling laws have undergone significant changes in the last few years. For decades, Arkansas’ laws were strict about gambling online. The state now allows licensed mobile sports betting, even though players who want to use online casinos and poker sites continue to play at offshore online gambling sites.

If that’s confusing, keep reading for a full rundown of how online gambling works in Arkansas. We provide an explanation of Arkansas’s online gambling industry, advice on how to sign up at gambling sites, and even a few tips on the best online casinos for Arkansas players. We also provide insight into the land-based gambling niche, so you’ll know how to visit brick-and-mortar casinos, race tracks, and sportsbooks.

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Overview of Online Gambling in Arkansas

Online gambling in Arkansas has more twists and turns than it does in many US states. Since Arkansas legalized and regulated online sports betting, both the legality and operating procedures diverge for online gamblers. For online sports betting, Arkansas bettors have the option to make bets in a licensed land-based sportsbook or a mobile sports betting app.

Online casino gamblers and poker players use offshore online gambling sites. These sites are licensed by offshore gaming authorities, but American players don’t have the legal protections they would have in the licensed market. Instead, players must find trusted, reliable casinos and poker sites. Don’t deposit cash in a site until you verify it is safe and trusted.

How to Gamble Online for Real Money in Arkansas

Those who’ve never gambled online might need a guide to signing up and playing for real money. While the advice below applies to casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks, our guide uses an online casino as an example. Most online gambling sites have similar steps for real money play.

1. Research Gambling Websites: Read online casino reviews and player forums to learn about site reputations. Only pick the casino site with the games you prefer, the software providers you like, the payment methods you use, and the bonus offer that sounds best to you.
2. Sign Up for An Account: Register for a new player account at your chosen online casino. Give basic info, including proof of address and a valid email address. You might need to photocopy a picture ID for the verification process. Play casino games for free with mere signup.
3. Make a Deposit: If you want to play for real money, log in to your account and make a deposit. At most sites, the deposit options include credit cards, debit cards, cryptocurrency, web wallets, or bank wire transfers.
4. Accept a Welcome Bonus: Casinos offer a first-deposit bonus or welcome bonus. This is extra cash (and sometimes free spins) as a reward for depositing. These have wagering requirements, so read the terms of use to know the rules for accepting a bonus.
5. Play Casino Games: Choose a casino game from the top menu next. The broad categories are slots, table games, specialty games, and live dealer games. Click on a game icon to play the game. Choose the real money option to clear the rollover requirement.
6. Make a Withdrawal: Once you clear the rollover, you can cash out anytime. Visit the cashier and make a withdrawal request. Wait a few hours to a few days for your winnings to arrive.

How to Make Sports Bets Online in Arkansas

To make online sports bets in Arkansas, follow the advice above when you sign up at one of the approved sports betting sites. Arkansas residents can wager at the state’s three land-based sportsbooks, make wagers on their sports betting apps, or play at offshore online bookmaker sites.

Offshore sportsbooks give big signup bonuses and risk-free bets while handling payouts of tens of thousands of dollars a day.

Arkansas Land-Based Gambling Industry

Arkansas has a growing land-based gambling industry, though it is growing slowly. For decades, the only brick-and-mortar gambling establishments were Oaklawn Racing and Southland Racing. In recent years, Arkansas lawmakers give the two race tracks the right to host casino gaming parlors. It also licensed Saracen Casino Resort to join the other two establishments.

Furthermore, all three now have the legal right to operate a land-based sportsbook and launch mobile sports betting. That represents a lot of growth for the Arkansas land-based gambling industry, though the number of operators hardly increased.

Does Arkansas have land-based casinos?

Yes. Arkansas gamblers can visit three land-based casinos: Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis, and Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff. You could say Arkansas has a fourth casino, due to the Saracen Annex in Pine Bluff. The Saracen Casino Resort has 1,800 gaming machines and 40 table games, while the Saracen Annex hosts a bar and a sportsbook.

Does Arkansas have legal betting tracks?

Yes. Arkansas has two legal betting tracks: Southland Racing in West Memphis and Oaklawn Racing in Hot Springs. Both now have slots parlors and table games, so they can be considered racinos. They also have land-based sportsbooks these days.

Does Arkansas allow off-track betting?

No. Arkansas wants racebook bettors to visit their land-based horse tracks, so no off-track betting facilities exist. Residents can visit Southland Racing or Oaklawn Racing for pari-mutuel betting and simulcasts.

Does Arkansas allow charitable gambling?

Yes. Arkansas allows a lot of non-profits to operate charitable gambling. The full list of non-profit organizations includes tax-exempt religious, educational, fraternal, service, civic, medical, veterans, volunteer rescue service, volunteer police organizations, and volunteer firefighters’ organizations. All can host bingo nights and raffle contests, though the law limits how much can be wagered and given away in prize money.

To qualify, an organization must have been in operation as a non-profit for 5 years. Raffle prizes cannot exceed $5,000. If the award is $2,500 or more, the organization must maintain the name, address, and phone number of the raffle prize winners. A “cryball“, which increases the prize winnings, cannot be used. Also, Arkansas imposes a 3/10¢ tax on all bingo faces.

Is social gambling allowed in Arkansas?

Arkansas has a ban on social gambling or home games. The state doesn’t have a strict ban on such gaming, but it does ban all land-based gambling except in regulated land-based gambling houses. Arkansas residents should not host a poker game at home, even if they don’t collect a rake.

What is the legal gambling age in Arkansas?

Pari-mutuel wagering has a legal gambling age of 18. Online gambling also has a legal gambling age of 18. Land-based casino gambling has an age limit of 21.

Online Gambling Arkansas FAQ

Is online gambling legal in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas residents can enjoy all forms of online gambling without legal trouble. If you want to gamble online on a casino site, poker site, or bingo site, you’ll need to do so at offshore online gambling sites. If you want to gamble online using a sportsbook, you can use the licensed mobile sports betting apps offered by the three land-based sportsbooks. Also, you can gamble online at offshore online sportsbooks.

Can I legally gamble at online casinos in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas casino players can sign up and play for real money at offshore online casinos. While these sites are not licensed by Arkansas itself, they are licensed by legitimate international regulatory agencies.

Arkansas online casinos offer huge welcome bonuses, a range of payments that Americans use, a full list of slots and table games, and reliable payouts. Read online casino reviews to find safe and trusted casinos, because you won’t have legal protections when you do.

Can I gamble for real money at online sportsbooks in Arkansas?

Yes. Bettors can make online sports bets in several different ways. Arkansas rolled out licensed online sports betting in April 2022 when Southland launched its Betly sports betting app. That was followed by a launch by BetSaracen in May 2020, while Oakland partnered with Kambi to launch its own sports betting app in August 2022.

Sports bettors can use the three land-based casinos’ mobile sports betting apps. The major licensed online sports betting brands (Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings) are not active in Arkansas and will not be anytime foreseeable. Arkansas sports bettors can sign up and bet for real money at the offshore online sportsbooks.

Despite the lack of major players, Arkansas set a record for sports betting handle in 2022 with $185 million in action. This shattered the record set in 2021, which was $70 million. The 2021 total only involved land-based sports bets.

Can I gamble at online poker sites in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas poker players can sign up to play at real-money online poker rooms. These sites are not licensed by Arkansas officials, but they are licensed by offshore countries.

Arkansas online poker sites have large poker bonuses and stakes that work for high rollers, mid-stakes players, and penny players. They also have a full range of deposit options, plus tournament events, ring games, and sit-and-go events. The games featured include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud.

How do I gamble online in Arkansas using crypto deposits?

How to Gamble Online in the United States