Arkansas Gambling Laws – Timeline & Legislations

In its young years, the Natural State played the role of the American gambling hotspot. It all changed over the years, and now gambling in Arkansas is illegal. When you look at the history of the state’s relation to gaming stated later in the article, it makes you think about what could have been. According to the Arkansas gambling laws, all forms of gaming were banned.

A fast-paced walk through the timeline, legislations, and casinos is divided into dedicated paragraphs, which you can reach directly using the navigation above. Along with the colorful history of AR gaming, we specify the legal age for wagering, the gambling laws in Arkansas, and the newest changes concerning the legal betting opportunities.

Gambling Laws in Arkansas

We have dived into the complexities of Arkansas gambling laws and discovered that since they first shut down in the 1960s, gambling in Arkansas kept the illegal nature till not long ago. The state lawmakers have been following the regulatory Arkansas Code sections 5-66-101 et seq. and 23-110 et seq. Here is what they cover in a brief overview, including the various gambling products and their respective legal status:

As you can see from the table above, there are many opportunities for you to test your luck. Even though sports betting was illegal until 2016, the gambling laws in Arkansas have shifted a bit which allowed DFS betting within state borders. Keep in mind that the local regulations are stringent but vague on what is banned and what is not. Here is a quote of the main state law on gambling:

If a person bets any money or any valuable thing on any game of hazard or skill, upon conviction he or she is guilty of a violation and shall be fined in any sum not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00). From: 5-66-113

The track record of banning almost all forms of gambling has been changing. In the past years, several important laws have passed elections. One is the ballot initiative from 2018, also known as Amendment 100 to the state constitution. It allows land-based casinos and sports betting on their premises. Find out more on the Arkansas Gambling History below.

Arkansas Gambling History

Arkansas was a state that looked the other way whenever gambling was involved. However, a few casinos appeared during that prohibition-era resembling the Nevada betting establishments back in the day. After that, the state’s legal status balanced greyhound racing, games of skill, and racinos. The Natural State provokes curiosity with its gambling history. That is why we have researched and prepared the following timetable of events:

It is a short but dense Arkansas gambling history. All major law changes towards legalization happened in one decade. That is not the case with the gambling laws in the neighbor states Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. These regions are filled with betting options and leave you with diverse opportunities. In case you are up for a change while in AR, their gaming scenery is a great start.

Gambling Age in Arkansas

The limited selection of gambling products in Arkansas requires a certain age to be able to access them. The minimum legal age is 18 and will allow you to play bingo, lottery, plus bet on horse and dog races. Those who are 21 can gain access to Arkansas casinos and sports betting. It is advisable to follow the state laws on betting as the underage gambling consequences can lead to devastating results.

Arkansas Casino Locations

Arkansas casinos opened thanks to the few changes in the gambling laws. Still, the flourishing complexes at Hot Springs were not enough to push the government to allow more land-based resorts. Nowadays, there are only three Arkansas casino locations, but since 2018 there has been an idea of new ones to be built. Here is where you can play in AR:

In addition to the casinos above, there are a few bingo halls. Experts say that the Natural State has room for more. However, one of the main hurdles in that direction is the state’s strict regulations on offering traditional gambling opportunities.

Visitors or residents of Arkansas have very few legal gaming options. For more casino table games and slots, you can cross to the neighboring state. Here is an updated guide to the casinos in Mississippi.

Arkansas Online Gambling Laws

According to the Arkansas Racing Commission, there are no legal state-run online betting operations. That explains the lack of AR gaming sites in our list of the best US online casinos. The Arkansas online gambling laws lack a dedicated paragraph for offshore casino sites. When going for safe websites which pay out quickly and regularly, always go for licensed and checked operators.

As explained earlier, there is no explicit reference in the Arkansas law to gambling online. Many find this is a common fact as the statutes pre-date the internet. For many, it is assumed that the current laws cover this part of the gaming industry, though there has been no legal test of this assumption to date.

Sports Betting in Arkansas

There are no specific regulations on sports betting in Arkansas. When we talk land-based opportunities, we mean on-track pari-mutuel greyhound and horse racing only. Still, locals and visitors can gamble at both US and off-shore gaming sites. The Natural State has not issued an opinion on daily fantasy sports. That gives companies like DraftKings and FanDuel the opportunity to accept action from the state.

Arkansas Gambling Laws FAQ

The topic of gambling laws in Arkansas can be challenging to comprehend. That is why we have prepared the following FAQ section. It contains questions and answers on the main aspects of the Natural State’s perspective on bets and gaming. We have kept it brief and informative. Here it is:

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