The other opposition came from major sportsbook operators like DraftKings and FanDuel. Of those who submitted comments on the Commission’s proposed rules, many were opposed to expanding sports betting to include mobile betting, but their arguments were generally related to religious opposition to all forms of gambling. Seeing their neighbors to the east and south ( Tennessee and Louisiana) legalize online wagering may have spurred the Arkansas Racing Commission in 2021 to add mobile betting as an option for sports bettors in the state. Arkansas sports betting regulatory developments The Arkansas Capitol building in Little Rock (Shutterstock)
Sports betting may have been legal, but until March 2022 you could only place wagers in-person. As such, sports betting has been legal in Arkansas since 2018, which actually makes it one of the first states to allow sports betting. Legends Casino is licensed but has yet to be constructed.Īs part of the initiative passed In 2018, retail sports betting was authorized, but mobile gaming remained off-limits. Saracen Casino Resort opened as a stand-alone retail casino in September 2019. The other two licenses were reserved for new casinos in two specific counties. Two licenses were given to the existing horse tracks in the state (Oaklawn and Southland) that allowed them to turn into racinos.
