Since July 2019, Arkansas bettors have been legally placing in-person wagers at state casinos via ticket windows and kiosks, but now it looks like those same gamblers will be able to place bets from anywhere in the state using mobile apps, all in time for the NFL’s Super Bowl.
The Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) held a meeting last Thursday to consider rules to launch mobile sports betting market in the state, and after some time the group gave their unanimous approval to a set of guidelines that will hopefully lead to an early February launch.
The news was announced by Arkansas News journalist Caleb Taylor, who shared the news of the ARC’s decision on Twitter:
Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously approves off-casino-premises sports betting after lengthy discussion on requirement casinos get majority of net revenue. #arpx #arnews
— Caleb Taylor (@CalebTTaylor) December 30, 2021
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration spokesperson Scott Hardin has told the media that now a state legislative committee will review those approved rules at a late January meeting which means mobile betting could happen before the Super Bowl early next month.
These new rules would allow each sportsbook to control two online skins and set the profit-sharing rate with casinos at 51%, that a low number of skins and a high rate causing pushback from leading operators.
Sportsbook operators in other states are used to sharing between 5% and 15% of the profits with their partners, while in Arkansas that rate would be 51%, a number that operators argued was too high, though that is the same rate as what is paid in the state of New York.
Former Arkansas lawmaker John Burris told those assembled at the ARC meeting that his clients “can’t do business in Aransas” with that 51% profit sharing rate, but the rules were passed regardless of those objections and that will be the working rate.
Another point of contention was the two skin rule which allows each sportsbook to only operate two mobile skins, a number considered too low by Burris and others, who told the group it makes more financial and business sense to give Natural State gamblers more choices:
Every dollar of sports betting revenue will pay the AR tax, no matter the platform. So to maximize tax dollars, we need to maximize participation. To maximize participation, we need the brands consumers play. Anything less keeps it underground and untaxed.
Another rule just approved by the ARC allows for local Arkansas casinos to create their own sports betting apps, with three commercial casinos now operating in the state:
A fourth hotel casino in Arkansas has also been approved but it has yet to be built.
Chief market officer at Saracen, Carlton Saffa, told the media that once the state legislative committee reviews and approves those rules his casino’s new sports betting app will be launched in time for the Super Bowl happening on Sunday, February 6.
Check back for all the latest news and updates on this ongoing story.
Free play options
Special contests for newbies
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets
21+ | Terms and conditions apply
🔥 Claimed by 59 people this week!
No bet-throughs required
Lots of sport-specific promos
Promo code 'WSN1000'
$1,000 First Bet on Caesars OR $250 in Bonus Bets
21+ | T&Cs Apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.
We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call 1-800-Gambler.
WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St. Julians, STJ3148, Malta.
Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.
Copyright © 2024