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Arkansas Online Gambling & Betting
Sports betting is alive and bustling in the state of Arkansas, with the land-based offering being the highlight of the Arkansas gambling scene. While other mainline forms of gambling are also permitted, such as daily fantasy sports and live poker, casino games are illegal in the physical and digital space.
While you only need to be 18-years-old to be of legal age for poker, bingo, the lottery, or to bet on horse racing, you must be 21-years-old to partake in sports betting.
Online Casino Arkansas
You are not permitted to play online casino games in Arkansas. Under state law, gambling houses and devices that allow you to bet money or something valuable on a game of chance or skill are banned. The rules are considered to extend to the Arkansas online gambling scene. There are, however, racino venues, where you can play games based on casino games.
There are also several social casinos that are deemed to be legal. Being free to use, these websites don’t come under the legal definition of gambling, presenting a way for you to play online casino games in Arkansas.
Sports Betting in Arkansas
You are allowed to place bets on sports in Arkansas. One of the earlier states to commence the legalization process of sports betting, you can enjoy a tremendous range of Arkansas betting options. The Arkansas sports betting scene is strictly land-based, with the law that introduced the gambling activity omitting the authorization of mobile or online wagering.
The Natural State boasts a devout sports following, particularly when it comes to the Razorbacks teams from the University of Arkansas. However, the main prohibition of legal Arkansas gambling is that residents aren’t permitted to bet on games involving the state’s college teams.
Online Poker in Arkansas
You are not allowed to play poker in Arkansas. Playing poker in Arkansas is prohibited across the board, with the law extending to Arkansas online gambling. Live poker cash games and cash tournaments aren’t allowed, and neither are home social games of poker. The only admissions to these rules are the table game variants of poker that can be found at the racino venues.
Daily Fantasy in Arkansas
You can wager on daily fantasy sports in Arkansas. Despite being so strict on casino games of chance, the Arkansas daily fantasy sports scene is legal and boasts all of the major players.
The state may not have a major league team, but through the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, Fantasy Draft, and Yahoo, residents can bet on fantasy lineups for the NFL, soccer, CBB, NASCAR, MLB, NHL, golf, basketball, and much more.
Esports in Arkansas
You cannot bet on eSports in Arkansas. As sports betting is legal in Arkansas, many would assume that eSports betting is too. However, due to the wording of the rules, it appears that the Racing Commission would need to deem eSports an “athletic sport” for eSports betting to be permitted.
Lottery in Arkansas
You can play the state and national lotteries in Arkansas. State gambling extends into lottery games, with residents having access to the state-run Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and Natural State Jackpot. Lottery players in the state can also buy tickets for major national lotteries, such as the Powerball and Mega Millions.
Horse Racing Betting in Arkansas
It’s no surprise to find that horse racing betting in Arkansas is legal. This is because of Oaklawn Park Race Track. This horse racing venue in Hot Springs is home to the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. You can bet on horse racing online in the Natural State through NYRA Bets and their digital platforms.
Arkansas Gambling Sites
In the future online gamblers in Arkansas may have (we hope) several gambling sites operating in other states, such as sportsbooks William Hill, Pointsbet, bet365, BetMGM, Betrivers/SugarHouse, TheScore, Betfred, Betway, SBK, Draftkings, Fanduel and even online casino options in Arkansas state.
Arkansas Online Gambling Laws
Follow updates at statelaws.findlaw.com/arkansas-law/arkansas-gambling-laws and read the local news at fox16.com/local-news/