Online Casinos in Arkansas

Being a gambler in the United States is not always easy. Laws vary from one state to another, some things are only allowed in a few states while some are prohibited everywhere, and we are not even talking about online gambling here — land-based one is enough to understand that this country is not the gambler’s heaven unless you were born in Las Vegas. To make things easier for you, we always add some legal information to our gambling guides so that you at least know what you are getting in.

Laws Affecting Online Gambling in Arkansas

If you ask “is online gambling legal in Arkansas?”, we’ll answer “nothing is legal in Arkansas”. Well, we might be overestimating a little bit but Arkansas is not really friendly towards gambling, it’s a fact. The full-scale commercial casinos just started to appear so if you are dreaming about playing some blackjack or roulette, you might want to take a trip to some other state or wait until the Arkansas State Racing Commission (the legal body responsible for local gambling control) does something about it.

Or, you have one more option. Arkansas online gambling laws are not favorable to players too, on the one hand — online gambling is not allowed in the state, and betting real money online can lead to a fine. But this is where you need to know two things: first of all, the fine can’t exceed $25 and secondly, no one has ever been prosecuted for making online bets in Arkansas. While those laws exist “on paper”, they are not implemented and foreign casinos are not blocked from bets made by players from Arkansas. And as always, you can find the complete list of the available casinos on SlotsUp.

Sports Betting in Arkansas

While Arkansas authorities are definitely not big fans of casinos and online gambling, they are quite okay with sports betting, as it turned out, as it’s the only gambling-related activity allowed in the state. There are two race tracks — one for horse races and one for dog races. They say the tracks might be transformed into full-scale casinos soon but for now, only pari-mutuel bets are allowed there. By the way, Arkansas sports betting was only legalized in 2019 when Amendment 4 was approved. It also allowed two more casinos to be built but the construction hasn’t started yet.

If you live far from the Arkansas sports betting tracks or don’t like horse and dog racing, you can always make sports bets in the international online casinos. It’s not the “must-have” option for every gambling website but we are trying to keep track of the casinos with sports bets available. So don’t forget to check our list of the Arkansas casinos to see whether there are the ones where you can not only spin the reels but also support your favorite teams.

Interesting Facts About Online Gambling in Arkansas

As you already know, Arkansas online gambling can’t boast a ton of interesting facts just because it’s technically illegal, even though players are not prosecuted. But Arkansas has not always been like this, there were better days and better facts:

• Hot Springs, Arkansas, once had a chance to become a gambling Mecca similar to Las Vegas. Named after the natural thermal waters found there, Hot Springs was a home to several race tracks, casinos, and… gangsters. Things have changed since then but the city did have quite a reputation.
• In 1874, the Arkansas Constitution prohibited lotteries and was actually aimed to prohibit all kinds of gambling, but wrong formulations made it possible for a variety of tracks and other gambling facilities to be opened at that time.
• According to the Local Option Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act of 2005, some electronic gaming machines were allowed if local municipalities approve them but only providing those are games of skill and not games of chance. Things only started to change in 2018 when some games of chance got approved too.

Getting Help for Problem Gambling in Arkansas

As Issue 4 was approved at the end of 2018, several more casinos are now going to be added to the US gambling scene. Not everyone is happy about it and the main argument of anti-gambling activists is that allowing more casinos in the state might lead to an increase in gambling addiction. Unfortunately, it’s quite possible for some people to get addicted to games, including the ones found on the USA online gambling websites — meaning you don’t even need to get out of the house to get into trouble if you are not good at self-control. Luckily, gambling addiction can be treated, especially if you get help as soon as you feel something going wrong. If you think that gambling is causing a problem in your life or in the lives of someone you love, here’s the list of resources to contact:

• The Arkansas Department of Health & Human Services. Even though Arkansas doesn’t have a separate problem gaming department yet, the Department of Health can provide information and help to those with gambling addiction too.
• Gam-Talk. It’s the main self-resource for people suffering from gambling addiction as well as for their families.
• Gamblers Anonymous. Check their website to find a lot of useful information and the address of the nearest anonymous meeting of gambling addicts.

After we learned all these things about gambling in the state, we must say that online gambling in Arkansas is definitely the best way to play betting games. There are not many decent casinos in Arkansas yet and waiting for them to be built might take too long — so why wait when you can start playing right now? But if your urge to visit a land-based casino is too strong, here are some options to try in Arkansas.

King Bingo

King Bingo is a bingo hall located in Conway, AR. It’s quite a small facility though there is enough space for every local bingo fan to have a seat. If you’ve never played bingo before (even though it’s hard to imagine if you’re living in Arkansas), you can still come and play as the rules are pretty simple. There is a person who draws random numbers and announces them while the players are crossing those numbers out from their bingo sheets. As soon as you get a line — you win, just don’t forget to shout “bingo!” for everyone to know it.

King Bingo is far from being a full-scale casino but it can be a nice alternative to one if you like these kinds of games or just have a spare evening and want to try something new.

Casino Nights NW Arkansas

Casino Nights is not a gambling venue but a way to bring the real casino vibe to your party. It’s a company known for organizing theme-based casino events. Contact them if you are in need for a super-fun and unusual way to celebrate a birthday or corporate event and they’ll supply you with game tables, chips, roulette wheels, and professional dealers to keep your guests entertained as well as DJs, bartenders, and artists if you want to bring the party to the next level. They know all the details and workarounds so no worries, it’s going to be a perfectly legal party and no police raids are expected.

Even though you won’t win a jackpot at this kind of event (because it’s you who is paying), Casino Nights will still let you feel that real casino atmosphere — which is better than nothing.

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort is basically the only place in Arkansas where you can play the real gambling games for real money. Formerly known as Oaklawn Park Race Track, it was opened back in 1905 and operated as a horse racing track since then. After the Arkansas authorities allowed casino games, it was quickly transformed into a casino resort so now, besides sports betting options, the visitors can also play slots and table games such as blackjack, craps, poker, and roulette. The resort has a special loyalty program that provides rewards to the returning customers as well as the $100 welcome bonus which is quite unusual for a land-based casino. Racing events are still taking places here so we recommend planning your visit the way to combine casino games and watching the race.

Online gambling in Arkansas is the best way to quench your gambling thirst as only international online casinos have this many games, bonuses, and special offers. Below, you’ll find our Top-3 of foreign gambling websites available for players from Arkansas — start your gambling journey with them if our full list seems too long and confusing for you.

• 888 Tiger. 888 Tiger is not the largest online casino in the world but we think 160+ slots and some table games are enough to get started. Check this out if you prefer using Bitcoin for your casino deposits as you’ll get a 300% deposit bonus in this case. Players who use other banking methods can still enjoy a 150% deposit bonus plus 100% cashback. 888 Tiger is a mobile-friendly casino accessible from any iOS, Android, or Windows device.
• Diamond Reels. Diamond Reels casino is no less generous — you get up to $5000 bonuses on your first three deposits and you can add 10% to them if you used Bitcoin as a deposit method. There is a loyalty program that can get you free games, invitations to exclusive events, and special prize giveaways if you join. Play more and get a personal casino manager who will make sure all your gaming needs are met and all the questions are answered. Regular players will not be left alone too as there is 247 customer support available online and by phone.
• Uptown Pokies. Uptown Pokies is a great casino for the newbies as everything is nice and clear here. You make your account, you claim your welcome bonus (which can reach $8888 + 350 free spins on the first six deposits), you make bets and play your favorite games — that’s it. The choice of games is not too wide in Uptown Pokies but enough to get acquainted with casino games before you start looking for something more sophisticated.