It might come as some surprise, but residents of Arkansas love gaming as much as their counterparts do all across the country where sports betting is legalized. According to a recent article, sports betting in Arkansas is on track to make more than a half billion dollars this year. This is up from $404 million from what it was in 2023. “Arkansans are averaging about $1.55 million a day on sports,” Scott Hardin, the Racing Commission Spokesperson, said. That average figure is pulled from the state’s three casino apps. Hardin explained in the article how mobile betting has been the reason behind the increase from 400 million to 500 million in sports wagers.
For this report, SBS will be looking at the latest gaming news coming from the state of Arkansas along with some additional notes and thoughts regarding gaming in the area.
According to one report, in 2023, Arkansas collected about $5 million in taxes, and Hardin said that benefits the state in several different ways. “The state gets a healthy portion of it. The city and county that are home to these casinos get a significant portion of that. And then lastly, there is a horse racing fund on the live purse. So the purses at Oaklawn actually increased as a result of the state revenue,” he explained.
While the state has seen success from mobile betting, Hardin emphasized that it’s an extremely regulated industry. “We want to be sure Arkansans understand the only way to place a legal sports wager in Arkansas, is at one of the state’s casinos or through their apps. Any other option is not legal,” Hardin noted. Carlton Saffa with Saracen Casino echoed that same message and said that’s part of the reason why Saracen wants to launch an “I-gaming” app and bring casino games straight to your phone, the legal way.
“We believe that allowing licensed, regulated casinos to engage in the same business will not really change anything, there will still be online gaming occurring, but the state will generate revenue,” Saffa explained in the article.
Per the article, sports betting is Saracen’s second most important part of business and Saffa said he hopes to add casino games to phones sometime in the future. “All that we would ask would be for the other properties that we offer slots and other forms of table games to be considered as an alternative to the illegal offshore sports books and casino operators that unfortunately are swarming our state,” he said. The decision to allow “I-gaming” is ultimately up to the racing commission and at this time, Saffa said Saracen is patiently waiting for when the commission is ready to have that conversation.
An Arkansas state board has given the green light for one developer to continue in the process of trying to get a license to open a gaming venue in Pope County and told another to fold. Per a recent article, the Arkansas Racing Commission earlier this month voted to proceed with the application from Cherokee Nation Entertainment to build out its Legends casino project in Russellville. The Wednesday vote is just the latest step in this ongoing process. The Cherokee Nation will have a presentation to the commission on June 27 and apply to have their application get a formal score. Following those steps, the commission will vote on granting the official license for the casino.
Pope County Judge Ben Cross has been a vocal backer of the effort from the Cherokee Nation and provided that group with an official letter, as did the quorum court in December 2023. Cherokee Nation Entertainment CEO Chuck Garret released a statement on the commission’s vote, saying in part that his company was eager to make its full presentation and showcase their experience in gaming, strong finances, and “plans for a world-class casino resort in Pope County.”
A second group that has been trying to win the license, Mississippi-based Gulfside Casino Partnerships, also submitted an application. The commission officially rejected that application due to it lacking a letter of support from local leaders. Gulfside representatives went before the quorum court in Pope County last week asking for a letter of support from the justices, but that request failed on a 5-7 vote. Following the commission vote Wednesday, a representative for the Gulfside Casino Partnership issued a statement saying the group was “still weighing our options and considering next steps.”
After you are all dialed in relation to all of the latest gaming news and notes coming out of the state of Arkansas, make sure to check out the awesome array of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more info on the topic covered here, check out the sports betting in Arkansas guide which goes over all of the latest news coming from the state so you can stay on top of the action. Moreover, for those interested in maximizing their wagers, look no further than the best bonus betting sites breakdown. On this page, you can find a catalog of different bonus offers and also tips for getting the most out of promotions. Finally, for those on the go, our best betting apps rundown is a fantastic resource for mobile betting so you can stay locked in with the action.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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