Arkansas

Retail sports betting in Arkansas has been legal since 2018, and a few years later, in 2022, the state also allowed mobile betting. Residents can enjoy retail betting at three locations, with a fourth expected to be added, and each of these locations also has a mobile app available.

Whether it’s betting on their favorite sports team or their beloved Razorbacks, residents in Arkansas have no restrictions on what they can wager on. Many states restrict betting on in-state colleges or even college player props, but Arkansas allows both of those markets to be offered. The two biggest markets that are not allowed to be provided in AR are political markets and eSports.

The possibilities for betting on horse racing and greyhound racing are endless. The state has multiple racetracks where wagers can be placed and offers residents mobile racebooks they can download.

Daily Fantasy Sports apps are also available in the state, so AR residents truly have full reign over sports betting in the U.S.

Online sports betting in The Natural State

You won’t find big-name sportsbooks like DraftKings or FanDuel in Arkansas; instead, you will find mobile betting apps connected to the state's three retail betting locations. These sportsbooks include Betly, Bet Saracen, and Oaklawn Sports, which can be downloaded on both IOS and Android devices and used throughout the state.

They may not be well-known apps outside of Arkansas, but they allow bettors to gamble from their homes, which was impossible before 2022. Up until that point, bettors needed to be on location at one of these three retail casinos, but a rule change in 2021 made sports betting more accessible for bettors while also helping these retail locations keep turning a profit.

State legislation allows up to eight online sportsbooks to be live in the state at one time, but for now, there are only plans for one more mobile book to join the market. That sportsbook will be tied directly to the new Legends Resort and Casino that is being built, but the timetable for launch is still yet to be determined.

Even when this new sportsbook launches, the state will still have four licenses available, so AR bettors should not lose hope that a brand-name sportsbook operator will eventually operate in their state. However, one of the biggest things keeping brand name operators out of the state is the revenue-sharing rule approved in 2022. This rule allows licensees to retain 51% of all sports betting revenue in a market-access agreement with an online operator.

All legal AR sports betting apps in 2025 (from newest to oldest):

Sports betting & gambling legislation in AR

In 2018, Arkansas voters approved Arkansas Issue 4, which allowed the introduction of sports betting. At the time, the state only had two functional casinos, but an expansion plan was also included in the initiative, so two more casinos/sportsbooks were set to be introduced. It is important to note that this issue only pertained to in-person sports betting, as mobile betting was still not allowed after this was passed.

It wasn’t until 2021 that the Arkansas Racing Commission discussed the possibility of mobile betting and started developing rules and regulations for the topic. Those rules eventually received approval, and in April 2022, the Betly Sportsbook became the state's first legal mobile betting app.

All gambling income is also subject to a 3% state tax. While the set rate is 3%, each bettor may face a different tax rate based on their annual income. Like all states with regulated gambling, Arkansas requires bettors to adhere to the established rules. For instance, customers must be at least 21 years old to wager in person or online. The Arkansas Racing Commission enforces these rules for bettors, along with the laws and regulations for operators.

One of the other rules that the State Racing Commission enforces is remote registration, which allows them to create a betting account on a sportsbook without being present in that location.

Fairground favorites and wagering: A new twist on Arkansas' betting market

Arkansas county fairs are famous for their lively competitions, ranging from pie-eating contests to pig races and log-rolling showdowns. But could these quirky events become part of a legal betting market? While traditional sports betting is highly regulated, the rise of novelty wagering in other states opens the door for the possibility of expansion into Arkansas. Fairgoers could place bets on eating contests and pig races, which are not far off from the hot dog eating contests or animal races people wager on in other states. 

With fair competitions already attracting large crowds, legal betting could introduce an extra level of thrill, transforming small-town traditions into can’t miss entertainment. However, state regulators would need to recognize these contests as legitimate gambling markets, which may present a legal challenge.

Most recent updates from the AR sports betting scene

• April 8, 2025: Following the conclusion of the college basketball season, the Arkansas Razorbacks have opened at (+2000) to win the 2025-26 National Championship.

• March 24, 2025: By beating Kansas and St. John's, the Arkansas Razorbacks have reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks are still (+850) to reach the Final Four.

• March 21, 2025: Arkansas lawmakers push bipartisan bills (SB524 and HB1861) to ban sweepstakes casinos and legalize online gambling. Led by Sen. Dave Wallace and Rep. Matt Duffield, the proposals aim to replace unregulated sweepstakes with fully licensed online casinos and sports betting, giving Arkansas a potential edge over other states.

• March 17, 2025: The Arkansas Razorbacks have made the NCAA Tournament as a #10 seed and will play Kansas in the Round of 64. The Razorbacks are (+550) to reach the Sweet 16.

• March 10, 2025: The SEC Conference Tournament is set, and the Arkansas Razorbacks are (+15,000) to win the title.

• February 26, 2025: Four games remain in the college basketball regular season, and the Arkansas Razorbacks are (-250) to make the NCAA Tournament.

• February 17, 2025: Coming off a loss to Texas A&M over the weekend, the Arkansas Razorbacks are (+125) to reach the NCAA Tournament.

• February 6, 2025: With consecutive wins over Kentucky and Texas, the Arkansas Razorbacks are (+180) to make the NCAA Tournament.

• January 22, 2025: College baseball season is right around the corner, and the Arkansas Razorbacks are currently (+1800) to win the College World Series.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Arkansas will have four retail locations when the Legends Resort & Casino opens. Two retail locations in operation have been around for decades, starting off with strictly horse racing and then expanding into what they are today, thanks to the passing of Issue 4.

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort was the first location in the state to accept a sports betting wager.

From ducks to dice: The hidden gambling culture in Arkansas hunting lodges

Arkansas is recognized as a top duck-hunting destination, attracting affluent sportsmen, executives, and even celebrities to its exclusive hunting lodges each season. But could these elite retreats also function as secret high-stakes gambling venues?

Rumors have long circulated that behind the closed doors of private hunting cabins and luxury lodges, some of the state’s wealthiest individuals participate in poker games, dice tournaments, and informal sports betting. Given the millions of dollars flowing through Arkansas’s hunting economy, it wouldn’t be surprising if some of that cash turned into poker chips and bets on the Razorbacks.

These exclusive gatherings are rumored to unite politicians, corporate CEOs, and wealthy individuals, fostering an atmosphere where significant wagers can be made away from scrutiny and regulatory oversight. While these underground casino scenes are largely speculative, similar activities have been discovered in other prominent hunting regions.

Retail betting locations in Arkansas are few and far between, so with a limited market, the behind-the-scenes high-stakes betting at these facilities is unlikely to stop anytime soon.

Betting on Bling: How Arkansas Could Monetize Its Diamond Tourism

At Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, the only public diamond-bearing site in the U.S., tourists already dig for buried treasure. But what if those visitors could go home with money in their pocket even if they don’t find anything good? Through a novelty betting market, guests could place friendly wagers on who would find the largest diamond, the first colored gem, or even the carat weight closest to a preset number. With real-time weigh-ins and gem ID stations, the legwork is already in place to reinvent this fun tourist activity into a micro-wagering spectacle.

Arkansas would need to expand its gambling laws to include tourism-based or park-approved prop betting in order for these markets to come to fruition, but if they did, the Crater could become an uncharacteristic yet profitable destination market. Even modest wagers placed through a geofenced mobile app that is licensed in the state could generate thousands during peak season.

Sports betting in neighboring states

If Arkansas bettors wanted to venture into local states to see what they have to offer in terms of sports betting, they would find states with primarily retail betting only outside of Tennessee, which offers mobile betting as well.

Click on the state name below to find more information about the surrounding states and what they truly have to offer.

Sports betting revenue impact on Arkansas’ economy

With just three retail locations and mobile betting apps, Arkansas reached the $1 billion mark for an all-time handle in late 2024. This figure is quite impressive considering that Arkansas lacks major operators in the state and provides significantly fewer mobile apps than its neighboring states.

Looking at the numbers, AR is estimated to gross the $20 million mark in total tax income from sports betting during the 2025 calendar year.

There are currently only three licensed retail locations in the state, with one more expected to open once the building is completed. The license fee is currently unavailable. After the final retail facility is constructed, the state will likely experience even more significant monthly numbers in handle, revenue, and tax income. These retail facilities are subject to a tax rate of 13% on revenue of $150 million or less and 20% on all revenue exceeding $150 million.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at their most recent monthly handle, revenue, and tax income numbers to get a better idea of how they’ve progressed over the years and to give a better idea of the spike in monthly numbers once the last retail facility is up and running.

Arkansas sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: November 2024 ($66,058,203 )

• Revenue: January 2025 ($6,931,367)

• Tax income: January 2025 ($1,023,821)

Latest AR sports betting revenue report breakdown (February 2025)

Reported by The Arkansas Racing Commission.

• Total betting handle: $44,496,893

• Gross revenue: $4,025,065

  • Hold: 9.05%

• Tax revenue for the state: $609,389

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

AR sports betting revenue in 2025

The following table shows how lucrative Arkansas' legal sports betting market has been for the state during the present 2025 year. In addition to the vital figures, the MoM change is calculated and added, indicating how such numbers have changed compared to the previous month.

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

Turning Cow Chip Contests Into Prop Bet Gold in the Natural State

Communities throughout Arkansas have long embraced one of the most uniquely rural traditions: the Cow Chip Toss. What started as a lighthearted celebration of country life has evolved into a surprisingly competitive and fan-favorite event. While the tradition is more locally known, one way to expand the event and bring more attention to it is through betting. 

By introducing Cow Chip Toss novelty prop bets, where spectators make unique wagers on categories such as' Longest Distance,” ' Hardest Throw,” or more. These contests have established rules and enthusiastic local participation, so with a wide base of people who have been competing in them for a while, there should be a group of individuals who could help set these markets appropriately.

With multiple local and licensed mobile apps in the state, Arkansas could transform this quirky event into a micro-wagering attraction that draws tourists, supports community organizations, and adds excitement to the state’s rapidly growing betting economy. If even 0.05% of Arkansas’s annual sports betting handle, which recently exceeded $550 million in 2024, were redirected to these types of novelty events, that could result in over $200,000 in new seasonal wagers and additional tax revenue as well.

How toad races could add thousands to Arkansas’s annual betting revenue

Conway’s annual Toad Suck Daze festival is already a fan favorite that draws a lot of spectators, but with the right legal framework, it could also jumpstart a profitable novelty betting market in Arkansas. If the state were to legalize festival-based prop wagers, events like toad races could generate new revenue streams from both festival regulars and curious tourists.

With clearly measurable markets such as race winners, longest leaps, or even toad weight classes, this niche wagering could certainly be integrated into mobile or retail sportsbooks. If even 0.1% of the state’s $300+ million annual betting handle came from novelty events, Arkansas could add $300,000 in wagers, producing $45,000 or more in tax revenue from a single festival season.

Expanding into culturally rooted, community-driven betting events would diversify Arkansas’s already strong betting economy, boost rural engagement, and help the state maximize future profits by standing out in a crowded market of states with sports betting bills.