There is an interesting history of gambling in the Natural State. The city of Little Rock used to be one of the busiest gambling hotspots in the world. That was a long time ago, however. All forms of gambling were outlawed at one point, and they remained illegal for decades.
Considering its rich gambling history, the state of Arkansas has a disappointing legal viewpoint regarding this pastime. Casinos are allowed and there are two of them in the state, but these are not what most modern gamers expect. There are very few options when it comes to legal gambling in Arkansas and they are limited to charitable gaming, daily fantasy sports, lottery, as well as dog and horse racing.
Top 10 Arkansas Online Casinos
1
Bovada
Rating 4.5
Mobile Friendly
Accepts Bitcoin
Live dealers available
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, echeck, MasterCard, Matchpay, Visa, Visa Gift Card
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Courier Check, echeck, Ethereum, Gift Cards, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Tether, User2User Transfer, Visa
Withdrawal Methods: American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, User2User Transfer
The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino. • The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer. • The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus. • Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus. • The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted. • Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Deposit Methods: American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, BitcoinSV, Courier Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Player Transfer, Tether, Visa
Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
This promotion is non-transferable.
Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
Arkansas is another example in the sea of US states with frustratingly misleading language in its gambling regulations. The government doesn’t make it very clear which rules one must follow if they wish to remain on the right side of the law, as well as which games are legal and which are not. This is the case with online gambling as well.
As in most other states, online gambling in Arkansas is not illegal but not legal either. This means that online casinos are not allowed to operate in the state, while gamers are free to gamble with real money online. Therefore, online gamblers usually choose to register in offshore online casinos or use VPNs to access geo-restricted sites from New Jersey or Las Vegas.
All this hardly makes Arkansas a gambling haven. The state does not earn much from gambling, which is no surprise considering the fact that there are only two legal casinos on its territory. Also, these casinos rely on horse and greyhound racing for a large chunk of their profit, and these disciplines are reporting all-time low numbers in recent months.
When it comes to online gambling, in particular, no law prohibits it. To the best of our knowledge, no gamblers have ever been charged with an online betting-related crime in Arkansas. However, the fact that it has never happened before doesn’t necessarily mean it will not occur in the future.
The state could very easily use the fact that online gambling has not been explicitly legalized to begin accusing people of breaking the law. This is the problem with the vague language in state regulations we mentioned earlier.
Arkansas is by no means the only state that is guilty of this type of behavior; in fact, most US states approach online gambling in a similar fashion.
If you live in the Natural State and you’re looking for some online gambling options, things are not as grim as they may look. Because the state’s law doesn’t specifically mention online gambling, every resident of legal age is technically allowed to take part in it. The law imposes no penalties to those who gamble online since the activity is practically non-existent in the eyes of the law.
All this makes online gambling non-illegal, or what you might call implicitly legal. As we explained previously, this attitude to online gambling is quite common in US state law. However, it is a bit unusual coming from a state that explicitly bans any gambling, even among friends or family members. All you need to know is that as long as you play in an offshore online casino, you’re not breaking any laws.
Future of Online Gambling in Arkansas
It doesn’t seem likely that Arkansas will move to regulate online gambling any time soon. This topic has not been discussed among the state’s lawmakers in recent years. There have been discussions, however, of legalizing table gambling, as well as opening tribal casinos in the state. Whether any movement in that direction would be good for online gamblers in Arkansas is still unclear.
Gambling seems to be controlled quite tightly in Arkansas for the time being, and it is hard to tell what the future might have in store for online gamblers in the Natural State. It is also the only state in the US that has no funding in place for fighting gambling addiction. There is a special hotline for Arkansas gamblers, set up by the US National Council on Problem Gambling, but the state itself offers no resources to gambling addicts.
Land-Based Casino Options
You will not find any large casino resorts in Arkansas. The Natural State currently has only two casinos, and for a long time, they only offered slots, horse racing, and dog racing.
These are:
Southland Park in West Memphis
Oakland Jockey Club in Hot Springs
In the last year or so, these casinos have expanded, and they now offer a few table games, including poker and blackjack. In addition to these games, the locations also offer virtual lottery terminals.
Note that these are not large casinos, so if you’re expecting something you would normally find in Atlantic City or Las Vegas, you are going to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of horse or greyhound racing, there is much to look forward to in Arkansas, since both locations have a long history with these types of betting. In fact, they were both initially opened as raceways in the mid-1900s.
Arkansas casinos do not offer any resort- or hotel-style amenities or even rooms. This could be disappointing for those who have got accustomed to large casino resorts that we’ve had a chance to see throughout the country. In Arkansas, these casinos are more of a roadside stop or an evening getaway for locals.
As we explained previously, Arkansas used to be an important gambling state in the early 20th century, with large casino resorts much like those found in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, these establishments were primarily owned by criminal organizations at the time, which meant there was an increase in violence, as well as many regulatory problems. That eventually led to the arrest of several casino owners and the state of Arkansas took a hard line on land-based casinos.
Unlike many other US states, Arkansas does not currently have any casinos in Indian reservations. Players who would like to take part in traditional casino games have no other choice but to leave the state. The best option, in our opinion, however, is to play online in offshore casinos. Arkansas gambling laws make no mention of online gambling, which makes it technically legal and an excellent option for gamers who don’t want to travel.
Summary
If you’re not sure about the legal situation when it comes to online gambling in Arkansas (or any other state for that matter), it won’t hurt to talk to a lawyer. The Nature State, in particular, seems very strict about banning all forms of gambling, even though the law makes no mention of online gambling per se.
It is always a good idea to check the state’s gaming policy thoroughly before engaging in any gambling activity (whether online or in land-based venues). This is especially true in states that seem prepared to enforce their gambling laws, which Arkansas has been known to do more than other states with similarly written regulations.
FAQ
It is illegal to run an online casino in Arkansas, but it is not illegal for residents to play in offshore casinos. Many of these sites have gambling licenses from countries like Dominica, Costa Rica, or Panama, and they treat their customers fairly. Just make sure to select a reputable and well-regarded online casino.
Although it is not regulated, much like online casinos, online poker is legal. Residents of Arkansas can sign up and play on online poker sites without worrying about prosecution. Find a safe poker room with a history of excellent customer service and you should be perfectly fine.
The minimum age for gambling in offshore online casinos is 18. The same is true when it comes to parimutuel betting at dog tracks and horse tracks. You’ll need to be over 21 if you wish to play at a land-based casino in the state.
It does not seem very likely that the state will launch an interstate online gambling market any time soon. This does not seem to be on the agenda of local lawmakers, so we would not expect any form of iGaming bill shortly.
About the Author
Tum
Administrator/moderator and fixer of things that break on blackjackinfo.com. Tum has contributed to the LCB network for over 10 years working with numerous casino, poker and sports affiliate websites.
For a list of all contributors to Blackjackinfo.com click here