Arkansas online casino players can win cash prizes playing some of the best slots and table games at sweepstakes and social casinos. Unfortunately, the state has not yet legalized real money online casinos, despite the launch of online sports betting in March 2022 through Betly and BetSaracen. This guide explains how you can win cash prizes by playing at online casinos in Arkansas. We highlight the best sites and explain how they work, as well as where things stand on legal online gambling in the “Land of Opportunity.”
Online Casino Gaming for Cash Prizes in Arkansas
It is perfectly legal for sweepstakes and social casinos to operate in Arkansas, provided they’re licensed and regulated within the United States. These are the best online casinos for players seeking cash prizes in Arkansas:
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Gambling is for entertainment purposes only. Stay safe and ensure success when you gamble responsibly. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER for confidential support. Visit SAMHSA’s National Helpline website for resources that include a treatment center locator, anonymous chat, and more.
How Arkansas Online Casinos Work
Click the “PLAY NOW” button next to one of the above sites to visit the casino and claim your no deposit sweepstakes bonus. You will typically receive two types of currency: fun-play coins and premium coins. Fun-play coins, usually called Gold Coins (GC), are strictly for fun play and earning rewards points. Premium coins, usually called Sweeps Coins (SC), are for winning cash prizes. Play the games with SC, win SC, and redeem that SC for cash prizes. Check out our guide on sweepstakes casinos to learn more, including how to get more coins for free.
How We Rank the Best Arkansas Online Casinos
Our experts have signed up for accounts with all the leading real money online casinos as well as every sweepstakes casino available in Arkansas. They gain first-hand experience of each site by claiming promos, playing games, requesting customer service, and so on. These are the key areas they focus on when conducting their reviews.
- Reputation: We only review established, reputable sweepstakes casinos. They all follow Arkansas’ sweepstakes laws, along with the US Postal Service’s regulations. These sites all have strong security records and hold trustworthy reputations.
- Game Variety: Our reviewers delve into the depth and breadth of each online casino’s portfolio. They look for sites and mobile apps that host hundreds of slots from multiple providers, preferably including Megaways slots, bonus buy slots, and jackpot slots. We also consider the table games on offer, as it can be difficult to find a sweepstakes casino with a solid range of table games.
- Game Quality: Variety is important, but we also seek out online casinos that host quality games from leading suppliers. Operators like Pulsz, WOW Vegas, and High 5 Casino offer many of the same famous games found at real money casinos in states like Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
- User Interface: It should be simple to navigate the lobby at an online casino. We consider the layout of each site or mobile app, the search tools and filters available, and the general speed, usability, accessibility, and reliability of the platform. Our reviewers also assess the casino’s customer support.
- Bonuses: We consider the size and appeal of each operator’s welcome bonus. Our experts then focus on the range of additional offers open to existing customers, along with any discounts on coin purchases, plus rewards programs, leaderboards, and social media contests.
- Payout Reliability: If you win a cash prize, you should be able to make a quick, efficient, and secure redemption. We look for sites that offer quick prize redemptions via multiple methods with broad limits, simple terms, and no fees.
Arkansas Online Gambling Snapshot
Arkansas offers some of the best online casinos in the USA via sweepstakes and social sites. It also has a few other options for those who enjoy trying to win money online.
| Gambling Type | Legal | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Online Casino Gaming | No | Arkansas has not legalized online casinos, so you must use social or sweepstakes casinos. |
| Online Poker | No | Online poker rooms are not permitted to operate in Arkansas. |
| Pari-Mutuel Wagering | Yes | Pari-mutuel wagering is legal both in-person and online. |
| Online Lottery | Yes | Online lottery tickets are available via the Jackpocket app. |
| Online Sports Betting | Yes | The first legal online sportsbooks launched in March 2022, and there are now three licensed mobile apps on the market. |
| DFS Contests | Yes | Arkansas enacted a law in 2017 permitting DFS contests, with an 8% revenue tax imposed on operators. |
Online Casino Games in Arkansas
Some sweepstakes casinos in Arkansas offer more than 500 games. They closely replicate the experience found at a real money online casino apps, with New Jersey online casinos, Pennsylvania online casinos, and Michigan online casinos being among the few options in the country.
Slots in Arkansas
Many sweepstakes casinos exclusively host slots. Others feature table games like blackjack and scratch-offs, but slots still account for the bulk of their libraries. These online slots are similar to the physical slot machines found at casinos like Oaklawn and Saracen, but the online iterations often have higher theoretical payout rates.
Here are some of the reasons why slots are popular among online casino players in Arkansas.
- Variety: You can choose from a broad spectrum of slots at the best casinos. They range from basic, old-school stepper slots with three reels and limited features to stylish, modern games with sticky wilds, progressive jackpots, and more than 100,000 paylines.
- Features: The features on online slots include stacked wilds, expanding wilds, sticky wilds, free spins, cascading reels, multipliers, cluster pays, bonus rounds, and much more. These features can heighten the excitement.
- Themes: There are themes to suit all tastes, from animals, fantasy, fruit, and gemstones to popular TV shows, movies, and musicians. You can dive into Ancient Egypt slots and then switch to playing a futuristic slot set in a distant galaxy.
- Broad Limits: Slots offer flexible betting limits, allowing you to play for small stakes or place large wagers. When you play at a social or sweepstakes casino, there is no need to risk your own money, as you can always stick to Gold Coins if you prefer.
- Jackpot Potential: Many slots have progressive jackpots, which expand until one lucky player hits the top prize. The payouts can be large. If you win a stack of Gold Coins, you can share your achievements with the community on social media, and you may be able to redeem a large cash prize if you land a jackpot with Sweeps Coins during promotional play.
Table Games in Arkansas
Some sweepstakes casinos offer a strong selection of virtual table games. Some also offer live dealer games, whereby you can connect with a real dealer in a studio. These are the most commonly available table games at online casinos in Arkansas:
You can often play poker-style games, too, including table poker and video poker. Additional games may include Casino War, Andar Bahar, and Dragon Tiger.
These are games of chance, but you need to apply the optimal strategy to unlock the game’s full payout potential. Stick to betting options like the dealer bet when playing blackjack and don’t pass/don’t come when playing craps. It is also helpful to practice games like blackjack with Gold Coins in order to master them.
More Arkansas Online Casino Games
Some Arkansas online casinos will also offer scratchcards and number games, such as bingo and keno. There may be virtual sports, too, plus Slingo (a hybrid of slots and bingo).
These are all games of chance, but you may also be able to play games of skill. They can include fishing games and mines.
History of Gambling in Arkansas
The city of Hot Springs was notorious for its illicit gambling activities in the 19th century. It inspired a book called The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America’s Forgotten Capital of Vice by David Hill.
Pari-mutuel wagering was legalized in 1935 after Amendment 46 to the Arkansas Constitution was approved. That allowed Oaklawn Park, which opened in 1905, to hold races under the auspices of the newly formed Arkansas Racing Commission.
By the 1960s, all illegal casinos had been shut down. However, in 2005, the legislature passed the Local Option Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act. It allowed the state’s horse and greyhound racing venues to evolve into racinos, hosting slot machines.
In 2018, voters approved Amendment 100, permitting table games and sports betting in Arkansas. The state’s three casinos began adding table games like blackjack and baccarat, building retail sportsbooks, and launching online sportsbooks.
No laws have been passed permitting online casinos or poker rooms yet. However, sweepstakes online casinos can operate similarly to lottery and bingo games in Arkansas. That gives you the chance to play online table games and slots in a bid to win cash prizes and gift cards.
Retail Casinos in Arkansas
There are three physical casinos in Arkansas. Southland Casino is on the eastern edge of the state, close to the Tennessee border. Saracen Casino and Oaklawn Casino are both around 50 miles from Little Rock, close to the center of the state.
| Casino | Address | City | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort | 2705 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71902 | Hot Springs | 1-800-OAKLAWN |
| Saracen Casino Resort | 1 Saracen Resort Drive, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 | Pine Bluff | (870) 686-9001 |
| Southland Casino Hotel | 1550 North Ingram Blvd, West Memphis, AR 72301 | West Memphis | 1-800-467-6182 |
Arkansas Online Casinos – Bottom Line
Arkansas boasts three of the best land-based casinos in the country. These locations offer a large selection of slots and table games, along with bars and restaurants. However, it is not always convenient to visit those resorts, so many Arkansans prefer playing casino games online. There are no real money online casinos in the state, but you can play table games and slots online via social and sweepstakes casinos. If you win during promotional play at a sweepstakes casino, you can redeem those winnings for cash prizes.
More Resources for Arkansas Online Gamblers
Online Casinos in Neighboring States
Arkansas Online Casinos FAQ
No, Arkansas does not have a legal market for real money online casinos. You will need to use social casinos or sweepstakes casinos, like High 5 or Jackpota. Sweepstakes casinos in Arkansas allow you to play online slots, table games, and live dealer games. If you win enough with Sweeps Coins, you can redeem them for cash prizes.
There are just three legal online sportsbooks in Arkansas: Betly, BetSaracen, and Oaklawn. You can play daily fantasy sports contests at sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Arkansas does not have any legal real money online casinos. However, you can play at sweepstakes casinos such as WOW Vegas, Pulsz and LuckyLand Slots.
The land-based casinos in Arkansas fought hard to prevent major national online sportsbook operators like FanDuel and DraftKings from launching in the state. In the end, they were victorious, and the Arkansas Racing Commission has only issued licenses to three local operators: Oaklawn, Saracen, and Southland.
There are three land-based casinos in Arkansas: Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, and Southland Casino in West Memphis. They are permitted to offer slot machines, live table games, and retail sports betting lounges.
You must be 18 or older to place pari-mutuel wagers or buy lottery tickets in Arkansas. The minimum legal age for visiting a land-based casino is 21, and you also need to be 21 or older to sign up with an online sportsbook or DFS platform in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates casinos and other gaming activities in the state. It was established in 1935 after voters approved Amendment 46 to the Arkansas Constitution, permitting horse racing and pari-mutuel betting.
The agency’s purview has expanded over the years. It now regulates casinos and racetracks in the state, along with online sportsbooks and retail sportsbooks.
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