Arkansas gambling laws permit three things: casino gaming at the state’s licensed casinos, sports betting through those casinos and their mobile apps, and the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. Just about everything else, including online casino games and bets placed with offshore websites, is illegal. Individual bettors who break the rules face small fines; the serious penalties, up to a Class D felony, fall on people who run unauthorized operations.
What’s Legal to Play, and Where
Full-scale casino gaming became legal when voters approved Amendment 100 in November 2018. The amendment authorized exactly four casino licenses tied to specific counties: Crittenden County (now Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis), Garland County (Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs), Jefferson County (a casino in Pine Bluff), and Pope County.1Arkansas Secretary of State. Arkansas Constitutional Amendment Proposed by Petition of the People – Issue No. 4 Licensed casinos can offer slot machines, table games, and other traditional casino-style gambling.
Sports betting rode in on the same amendment. In-person wagering launched at the casinos shortly after Amendment 100 took effect, and mobile sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel went live in March 2023. Each casino licensee may run up to two individually branded online sportsbooks, and every mobile platform must be tethered to a brick-and-mortar casino licensee in Arkansas.2Legal Information Institute. 006.06.21 Ark. Code R. 013 – Casino Gaming Rule 20
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery is the third legal channel. Authorized by Amendment 87 in 2008, it began selling tickets in 2009.3Justia. Arkansas Constitution Amendment 87 Games include Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch-off tickets, with proceeds funding college scholarships for Arkansas residents attending in-state schools.
Pope County Is Still Unsettled
No casino operates in Pope County. In November 2024, voters approved Amendment 104, which repealed Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s Pope County license and required countywide voter approval for any future casino in the state. Cherokee Nation Entertainment sued in federal court; a federal judge dismissed the suit in August 2025, finding no constitutional violation. If you’ve seen references to a fourth Arkansas casino, that’s the one, and it isn’t open.
Sports Betting Rules That Trip People Up
Not every sport is on the board. Arkansas prohibits wagering on most amateur events, which effectively bans betting on high school games. The only amateur exceptions are collegiate sports and Olympic events sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.2Legal Information Institute. 006.06.21 Ark. Code R. 013 – Casino Gaming Rule 20 Even for college games, a sportsbook cannot knowingly accept a wager placed by or on behalf of a coach or participant in that event. Bets on the outcome of any public election are also banned.
Because every mobile sportsbook must be linked to a licensed in-state casino, apps that aren’t tethered to one of Arkansas’s casino operators are not legal here, whatever their marketing says.
How Old You Have to Be
You must be at least 21 to gamble at a casino or place a sports bet in Arkansas, whether in person or on your phone.4Code of Arkansas Rules. 23 CAR 355-703 – Sanctions on Franchise Holder for Underage Gaming Operators verify age with government-issued identification, and a casino that lets a minor play faces sanctions from the Arkansas Racing Commission.
The lottery is different. The minimum age for buying a ticket or claiming a prize is 18.5Justia. Arkansas Code 23-115-402 – Restriction on Sales – Definition A retailer who knowingly sells a ticket to someone under 18 can be fined up to $250 for a first offense, and up to $500 plus a temporary license suspension for a second violation within 48 months.6Justia. Arkansas Code 23-115-901 – Sale of Ticket or Share to Person Under 18 Years of Age Prohibited – Penalty Anyone under 18 is ineligible to collect a prize even if they manage to get hold of a ticket.
What’s Still Illegal
Outside the three authorized channels, most gambling is prohibited. Arkansas law makes it a crime to set up or exhibit any gaming table or gambling device designed for games of chance or at which money can be won or lost.7Justia. Arkansas Code 5-66-104 – Gaming Devices That reaches traditional table games, slot-style machines, and similar equipment operated outside a licensed casino.
Online poker, internet casino games, and digital slots are not authorized in Arkansas. The state has no licensing framework for online casinos, so any website offering those games to Arkansas residents is operating without state approval. Offshore gambling sites are not recognized under Arkansas law and offer no consumer protections if something goes wrong with your account or your money.
Penalties if You Break the Rules
Penalties depend heavily on which side of the table you’re on.
For an individual bettor, placing a bet on a prohibited game is a violation, not even a misdemeanor. The fine runs from $50 to $100.8Justia. Arkansas Code 5-66-106 – Gaming Devices – Betting Enforcement generally focuses on operators rather than players.
Running an unauthorized gambling operation is far more serious. Keeping a gambling house is a Class D felony, which carries up to six years in prison.9Justia. Arkansas Code 5-66-103 – Keeping a Gambling House10Justia. Arkansas Code 5-4-401 – Sentence It applies to anyone who operates, finances, or has a direct or indirect interest in an illegal gambling operation or device. Licensed operators who break the rules face a separate regulatory track: the Arkansas Racing Commission can impose civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation, suspend or revoke a license, and bar individuals from the gaming industry.11Justia. Arkansas Code 23-110-204 – Powers and Duties
Federal Charges for Larger Operations
An illegal gambling business that reaches a certain scale also faces federal prosecution under the Illegal Gambling Business Act. The business qualifies if it violates state law, involves five or more people, and either operates for more than 30 consecutive days or takes in more than $2,000 in a single day. A conviction carries up to five years in federal prison.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1955 – Prohibition of Illegal Gambling Businesses A small backroom operation can hit those thresholds faster than people expect.
Taxes on Your Winnings
All gambling income is taxable, whether or not anyone withholds from it. At the federal level, casinos and sportsbooks withhold 24% from winnings that trigger federal reporting, generally payouts of $5,000 or more from a wagering transaction after subtracting the wager. Arkansas layers its own withholding on top: casinos operating under Amendment 100 withhold state income tax at 5.9% on the same winnings that trigger federal withholding.13Justia. Arkansas Code 26-51-920 – Casinos – Withholding and Reporting
Winnings below those thresholds still have to be reported on your tax return. Skipping that step can lead to audits and penalties from both state and federal tax authorities. Separately, electronic games of skill at the racetracks carry a 3% gaming winnings tax on individual payouts of $1,200 or more.14Justia. Arkansas Code 26-51-1309 – Gaming Winnings Tax – Withholding and Remittance
If You Want to Stop
Arkansas requires licensed operators to run self-exclusion programs. For mobile and interactive gaming, operators have to keep a register of self-excluded people, close their accounts, and block them from receiving marketing. Once you enroll, the operator cannot let you resume gambling until at least 30 days have passed.15Code of Arkansas Rules. 23 CAR 358-514 – Self-Exclusion Staff must be trained to enforce the policy, and the operator is responsible for taking reasonable steps to keep self-excluded people out.
Each licensed casino and sportsbook can tell you how to enroll in its program. The Arkansas Racing Commission is the regulator behind these requirements and the body that disciplines operators that fail to honor them.