As gambling laws are eased across the nation, we are looking forward to the day when the excitement of online casinos will be available to all Americans. Unfortunately, for now, Arkansas’ residents are unable to enjoy online casinos, as online casino gambling is illegal in the state. Regardless, if you want to know about the likelihood of Arkansas online casinos and the history of gambling in the state, we recommend you keep reading our guide below.

Available Casino Games in Arkansas

As previously mentioned, it is illegal to gamble at online casinos in the state of Arkansas. However, it looks as though this could change in the future, with voters only recently approving the construction of four new casinos across the state.

For now, the only form of online wagering that Arkansas residents can enjoy is Daily Fantasy Sports, which asks contestants to draft fantasy lineups of sports players and battle them head to head against other contestants for cash prizes, scoring points based on real-life gameplay. Under Arkansas state law, this is not considered a form of gambling. To learn more, check out our guide to legal gambling sites.

Biggest State Land-Based Casinos

As of 2019, Arkansas opened its first two casinos in the state as extensions to previous racetrack offerings. These include the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and Southland Casino Racing.

The largest of these is the Southland Casino Racing Complex, with 2000 gaming machines and 40 table games available. However, the Oaklawn is set to expand in 2020, with a 7-story 200 room hotel complex added as well as an expansion of the gaming floor to 28,000 square feet. See below for the address of both casinos across Arkansas.

History of Casino Gambling in Arkansas

Despite its fifty-year reputation for being a gambling unfriendly state, Arkansas was once known to be one of the most notorious gaming centers outside of Nevada despite organized gambling’s illegality. Since governments cracked down on the operations in the 1960s, Arkansas remained a no-go zone for casino gaming. Until now.

Below, we’ve created a timeline of the legal history of gambling in Arkansas, up till the recent debating of new Arkansas sports betting legislation. For more information on gambling in Arkansas, visit our dedicated Arkansas gambling page .

Casino Gambling Age in Arkansas

The gambling age laws in Arkansas stipulate that players must be over 18 years old to play DFS, the lottery and bingo, and over 21 years old to gamble at casinos. If a player is caught gambling underage, there are no known fines, although for an operator to knowingly allow underage gameplay can result in punishments ranging between $250 and $100,000, as well as license revocation.

• Online Casino Age
  It is illegal to gamble at online casinos in Arkansas.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age in Arkansas is 21 years old.
• Weed Age
  Recreational smoking of cannabis is still illegal in Arkansas.

Responsible Gambling and Addiction Prevention

If you are worried that you or a loved are losing control over their gambling habits, there are a number of options in Arkansas that can be taken to ensure that you get the help you need. We recommend that you contact one of the friendly professionals at the National Problem Gambling Helpline through their chat service or by calling 1-800-522-4700 for an open, confidential talk on how you can cope with your addiction. We also recommend finding a local Gamblers Anonymous meeting to meet like-minded people for support.

Can I Play Without Deposit?

Across the world and in other states that allow online casinos, there are a number of ways in which casino websites will try to attract gamers into trying their products. These often come in the form of perks and bonuses, like free spins or free tokens. A popular perk sees players being offered gameplay without making a deposit. This allows players to potentially win real money without having to make any financial investment and gives players the opportunity to trial a number of games on offer. However, the bonuses aren’t exactly without terms and conditions, so it’s important not to confuse the offer with being handed free money.

Upcoming Casino Regulation and Expected Changes

The year of 2019 has been one of the most exciting in Arkansas’ entire gambling history. Not only has the state launched a land-based sportsbook at the Oaklawn Casino Resort, but it has begun construction on one of two planned purpose-built commercial casinos across the state. With voters having approved these actions, it is clear that Arkansas’ residents’ attitudes to gambling have come a long way and are looking to the future. There is still no word on opening these games up to the online world, but many believe that the large religious constituency across the state may mean that this form of progress will not be without opposition. While it’s unlikely that the state will make a U-turn any time soon, you can learn more about legal online casinos in Pennsylvania.

Casino Guides for Nearby States

• Louisiana
• Texas
• Oklahoma
• Missouri