Arkansas Online Casino Gaming – Legal in 2024?

Arkansas residents looking to bet on sports have access to major sportsbooks that are licensed in the state. Those looking for casino gaming, though, are used to being restricted to land-based gambling in Arkansas.

You can drive to one of the state’s three in-person casinos, which have been in operation for five years. You can also have all the same casino gaming fun online at one of several Arkansas online betting sites located offshore. The sites are outside the jurisdiction of Arkansas state law and have paid real money jackpots to casino players in the state for years. Most of those offshore sites also have a full-service sportsbook and racebook, giving you all your gambling options in one place.

The Best Online Casinos in Arkansas

There are dozens of offshore sites that offer dedicated casinos with live dealer options and regular electronic casino gaming. How do you decide which ones you can trust and which will provide entertaining and challenging gambling experiences while giving you a fair shake and paying out in full when you win? Luckily, you have us here to help. Our panel of experts has evaluated more than a hundred offshore sites and compiled a list of the ones they recommend most highly.

1. Bookmaker.eu – The best all-around online casino site in Arkansas
2. Heritage Sports – Best casino for new and inexperienced players
3. Bovada – Arkansas’ best mobile casino 
4. BetOnline – The largest menu of casino games
5. BetAnySports – Hundreds of casino games and variations
6. BetUS – Pays the highest bonus of any online casino
7. WagerWeb – The top cashback rebate program
8. JustBet – Caters to all levels of casino players
9. Everygame – Decades of dependable, trustworthy operation and prompt payments
10. SportsBetting.ag – One of Arkansas’ best live dealer areas

Each of these top-rated sportsbooks can provide players in Arkansas with an excellent online gambling experience.

Are online casinos legal in Arkansas?

One of the most common questions we get is “Is online casino gambling legal in Arkansas?” The answer is: It depends. The state has passed laws legalizing online horse race betting and sports betting, and it has licensed sites to provide that. There is no similar law for online casino games.

However, offshore sites, which are outside of the jurisdiction of Arkansas state law, have been serving customers in the state for years and paying out cash jackpots. And there is no state law prohibiting them from doing it. They offer games of skill and games of chance, with table games, online slots and live dealer areas for casino games and poker. They also have sportsbooks and racebooks giving customers all their gambling options in one convenient place.

The Best Online Casinos in Arkansas Compared

Our expert panel looked at a number of factors when determining their casino rankings. You may put more weight on certain factors than they did, or may not care about a certain category that they emphasized. Since it’s such a personal decision, our experts put together detailed looks at each offshore casino site, with pro and con lists, so you can choose the one that is the best match for you. 

1. BookMaker: The Best All-Around Casino Site in Arkansas

Bookmaker.eu was our experts’ choice as the best all-around online casino site available to Arkansas players. They have a nice selection of titles including all the traditional favorite casino games. Their library includes multiple variations of blackjack, three-card poker, craps, roulette and Pai Gow. There’s also a lottery game section, which includes exciting bingo games, keno and other specialty games. They also have a section with live dealer games featuring many of the popular table games where players can enjoy real-time gaming with other players.

BookMaker is known for appealing to all gamblers, regardless of their experience or skill level, bankroll size or appetite for risk. They have high limits and low minimums, so every bettor will have a table they feel comfortable at. For newcomers, they offer a free casino, where players can try out the games in demo mode and learn the ropes before playing for money.

BookMaker offers competitive casino bonuses, including an initial deposit match bonus of up to $500. And, unlike many sites, you can spend the bonus money in the casino. Reload bonuses go up to $2,500 thanks to the platform’s elite rewards program.

2. Heritage Sports: Best Casino for New and Inexperienced Players

Heritage Sports came in second in our rankings of offshore casino sites. It also earned special recognition for being the best site for new customers in Arkansas. 

That’s partly because Heritage Sports treats all customers so well. It was originally an invite-only site for elite players and high rollers, and they still pamper everyone who comes through their doors. Heritage Sports also has a very user-friendly interface that makes the site easy to navigate. 

Heritage Sports’ online casino specializes in slot machines. They offer a large menu of different slot variations, including classic games like three-reel online slots, all the way up to modern 5-reel, 9-line games and 3D slots.

Heritage Sports also has table games, including all the traditional favorite games, like blackjack, roulette and baccarat. There are also 27 versions of video poker. Unique promotions like free deposits and casino rebates make the experience even better.

3. Bovada: Arkansas’ Best Mobile Casino

With an army of dedicated customers, Bovada may be the most popular of all offshore casinos. It is the most diverse, with more ways to bet than any other site. It has a full-service sportsbook that is one of the best in the world. There’s also a separate horse racing betting area and the busiest poker room in the U.S., with the largest schedule of poker tournaments. That’s in addition to its casino gaming area, which is also top-notch. 

Each of the separate areas also provides plenty of variety. There are more online sports betting options in the sportsbook, including a bigger menu of prop betting options than other online sportsbooks. The casino is on brand, with a huge menu of games. There are more than 100 different slot machine variations, including video slots, 3D games, progressive jackpot games and five-reel games. There are more than 200 table games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Andar Bahar, Roll the Dice and Teen Patti Rapid.

Their live dealer area is the largest in Arkansas, with 30 different live dealer games and table limits that go from $5 up to $2,500. And Bovada’s mobile site is every bit as good as the main site, making it the top mobile interface in Arkansas. It’s easy to sign up, enter Bovada promo codes and start playing your favorite games, on any device.

4. BetOnline: The Largest Menu of Casino Games

The BetOnline casino took the fourth spot in our rankings and was singled out by our experts for having the largest selection of online casino game titles of all the online sites available in Arkansas.

There are more than 150 different variations of online slots, including progressive jackpots and RTP slots. There are even slot games that are exclusive to BetOnline. The site also features games from all seven of the top game manufacturers and provides generous bonuses to encourage players to get in on the action. The promo codes at BetOnline can also provide additional benefits, including more bonus funds.

There are also plenty of card games and other casino table games, with more than 50 different games available, including video poker, craps, baccarat, multi-hand casino war, 3-card rummy and 18 different blackjack table games. There are two live casino areas, the red and the black. The Red Casino has blackjack, roulette, baccarat and Super 6. The Black offers baccarat, roulette, blackjack and Hold’em.

5. BetAnySports: Hundreds of Casino Games and Variations

Online casinos try to overwhelm gamblers with more game titles than any other competitor, but BetAnySports goes even further, offering the largest number of separate casinos. There are a half dozen casino areas at BetAnySports: the 3D Casino, Classic Casino, Diamond Casino, Fortune Casino, Horizon Casino and Star Casino. Each one has its own separate library of games and variations, resulting in hundreds of options for Arkansas players.

The live dealer casino takes the same approach, combining three in one. The three separate live dealer areas are Lucky Dealer Live, Euro Live and Vegas Live, giving users a selection of video feeds to live rooms around the world and ensuring that there’s always a game about to start somewhere that they can join.

BetAnySports also offers a full-casino experience with a top-shelf racebook, poker room and reduced juice sportsbook.

6. BetUS: Pays the Highest Bonus of Any Online Casino

One thing all online casinos have in common is that they want you as a customer, and they’re willing to pay to accomplish that. Every site offers sign-up bonuses and has promotions aimed at keeping customers happily betting with them. And BetUS is at the head of the pack when it comes to its offers. BetUS offers the highest welcome bonuses to Arkansas customers.

BetUS matches a customer’s initial deposit at more than 100%. That means they’re putting more money into your bankroll than you are, and it also means that before you’ve played your first casino game, you’ve already more than doubled your money. For customers that use cryptocurrency, the windfall is even bigger. They match initial crypto deposits at rates up to 250% and up to $5,000, more than tripling your bankroll right from the jump. 

The casino has 16 different variations of blackjack and a selection of slots, video poker and lottery games like keno and bingo. Their ongoing promotions are also generous with several casino-specific bonuses. BetUS also has a live dealer section for table games.

7. WagerWeb: The Top Cashback Rebate Program

WagerWeb earned an accolade from our panel of experts for having the best cashback casino rebate program in Arkansas. They give back a 5% rebate on all casino losses, which is the highest rate of any online casino. There’s also a casino-specific welcome bonus.  

The casino’s offerings include roulette, blackjack, craps, Sic Bo, Pontoon, 3 Card Poker, Pai Gow, Casino War, Casino Hold’em and Caribbean Stud. There are a large number of video poker variations including Aces or Faces, Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, Jokers Wild and Deuces Wild. WagerWeb has 80 different variations on online slot machines, including Rook’s Revenge and Black Gold.

Most of the slot games are produced by the same manufacturer—BetSoft, so there’s not a diversity of software companies available. They also don’t offer a live dealer area or live poker. 

8. JustBet: Caters to All Levels of Casino Players

Most sites in our rankings are in an arms race to offer more games and variations than anyone else. However, most of those games go unplayed by the majority of customers, meaning all they’re doing is cluttering up menus and giving the site a big number to boast over. JustBet goes in a different direction, emphasizing speed and efficiency with a sleek, slimmed-down approach. If you want to find your favorite game and get playing, they’re one of the best options.  

In order to keep menus easy to navigate, JustBet offers fewer betting options. It may not have dozens of slightly different variations of any one game, but it has the most popular games and variations, and they’re all easy to find in its user interface. JustBet offers promos to new and existing players as well as a loyalty program with ongoing perks.

JustBet is a sister site of Bookmaker.eu, and they have a similar look and feel to the site that earned the top spot in our rankings. They have high betting limits and low minimum bets to make sure there’s a spot for every risk tolerance level. JustBet is also able to cater to all bankroll sizes and experience levels. 

9. Everygame: Decades of Dependable, Trustworthy Operation and Prompt Payments

Sending money to an offshore gambling site is a leap of faith. Not every site is trustworthy or dependable. No one wants to put their financial information at risk, and if a gambler wins money, he or she expects to be able to withdraw the money and spend it whenever they’re ready. That’s not always assured at every site.  

Everygame is one of the longest-running online casino sites, with its roots going back to the 1990s. For almost 30 years, they’ve been treating customers fairly, offering dependable service and paying out in full and on time. They stand in contrast to many of the fly-by-night online casino operators who didn’t come close to making our top 10 rankings. 

That doesn’t mean Everygame is an old, outdated site. It has one of the slickest, most polished user interfaces you’ll find, both on the full site and on mobile devices. They recently rebranded and upgraded their site and now have cutting-edge operating software. With the rebrand, the Everygame promo codes available got an update too, offering thousands in bonus funds.

There are more than 300 different games in the casino, including baccarat, blackjack, Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, tri-card poker, three-card rummy, blackjack and video poker. There are also hundreds of slot variations, including 3-reel slot games, 3D slots and progressive jackpot slot games. A wide range of different game manufacturers is represented. 

10. SportsBetting.ag: One of Arkansas’ Best Live Dealer Areas

The final site in our top 10 is SportsBetting.ag. It is exceptionally impressive in its live betting section, with our experts declaring it one of the best ones in Arkansas. It has live dealer games of blackjack, roulette, baccarat and other specialty games. The interface is efficient and runs smoothly. New users and regular players get to enjoy various bonuses and promos.

The rest of the casino also offers a good selection of options. While it doesn’t have the eye-popping number of variations that some sites boast, SportsBetting took great care to select a representative library of game titles and variations. Its well-curated library will offer as diverse a playing experience as some sites that offer a much bigger raw number of titles. There are about 140 slot games including classic games and modern ones, with 5-reel games, 3D slots and 3-reel games. 

The table games are also well-curated. They have 20 variations of blackjack as well as a good selection of video poker. And the games are drawn from a wide range of game manufacturers. 

Our Rating Methodology

Our expert panel looked at a number of different factors when evaluating the offshore casinos available in Arkansas. They wanted to find the ones that offered the best online betting experience. That means a variety of games, variations, software companies and play styles. There should be video versions of the games as well as live dealer areas. The sites were also evaluated on their user interface quality, their customer service departments and banking options. Sites that paid generous bonuses and had a good selection of ongoing promotions were also highly rated. Our experts even looked at customer reviews of each site online.

Arkansas’ History of Gambling Laws

For most of the state’s history, Arkansas has had two groups battling for control of state law—the people opposed to all forms of gambling, and those who want to expand legal gambling in the state. The state’s gambling history reflects the back-and-forth struggle between the two. Its first state constitution, in 1874, banned all forms of betting. Within a few years, however, betting on horse racing was a fast-growing industry. The state opened its first casino in 1905, but soon after, Arkansas outlawed race betting across the state. A law was passed in the 1930s bringing back the racebook industry, but then the state began cracking down on casinos, driving the last one out of business in the 1960s. 

Since the turn of the millennium, the pro-gambling faction seems to have taken control. The state allowed tracks to install gambling machines, turning them into “racinos” in 2005. They added a state lottery a few years later, and, in 2017, they legalized daily fantasy sports. The following year, a statewide referendum passed a constitutional amendment that allowed four casinos to be built—three have been built so far. State residents placed their first bets in person a short time later, and the amendment also allowed for each casino to serve as a sports betting location. In 2019, the state legalized online sports betting as well, and sports betting revenue now regularly hits the $30 million mark each month.  

Timeline of Gambling in Arkansas

• November 2022: Arkansas voters reject a constitutional amendment to allow online casino gambling in the state.
• April 2021: Governor Asa Hutchinson signs a bill allowing online sports betting in Arkansas.
• November 2018: Arkansas voters approve a constitutional amendment to allow four casino licenses in the state, but online casinos are not included.
• May 2018: The Supreme Court overturns the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which paves the way for states to legalize sports betting, including online sports betting.
• 2005: The Local Option Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act passes, reintroducing “racinos” to the state by allowing racetracks to offer electronic gaming machines.
• 1967: The last casinos and racinos, in Hot Springs, shut down as a result of a statewide crackdown on gambling.
• 1905: In Oaklawn, the first casino in the state is opened.
• 1874: The state constitution of Arkansas forbids “lotteries” and other forms of gambling.

What government body regulates online gambling in Arkansas?

The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates most forms of gambling in the state, including in-person casinos and online betting on sports and racing. However, offshore casino sites are not under the jurisdiction of U.S. federal gambling law or Arkansas state law, since they are located in other countries. So the Racing Commission does not have the authority or oversight power over them. That’s why they were taking state residents as customers long before Arkansas began legalizing any form of online gambling. 

Standout Features of the Best Online Casinos

The online casinos in our top 10 have different looks and feels as well as having very different game offerings. However, there are some things they all have in common. Our experts identified a set of factors that are requirements for any site to be included as one of the best offshore casinos available in Arkansas. 

Gambling Odds

Odds should be fair and should be similar to the odds and probability of winning you’d get at an in-person version of the game at a land-based casino. 

Betting Markets

A selection of different forms of gambling should be available. While the casino was the area being evaluated, the best offshore sites also offer sportsbooks, racebooks and poker rooms to give a full gambling experience to customers. Each area should have a diverse set of offerings. For casino gaming, that means live dealer and video sections, all the popular games and variations and a good range of manufacturers. 

Banking Methods

There should be a variety of ways to conduct banking transactions, including traditional payment methods like major credit cards, debit cards and bank wire transfers. Newer transaction types like e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum should also be offered.

Online Casino Bonuses & Promo Codes

Sites should offer generous bonuses that can be used in the casino. There should be a match deposit bonus for your initial deposit to serve as a welcome bonus. The best sites offer a flexible set of bonuses, differing by match percentage and rollover requirement, each with its own bonus code. There should also be promo code offers for ongoing bonuses for loyal customers. 

Live Dealers

To get a full casino experience, the best casinos offer live dealer games, where customers are connected to an actual dealer via video hookup. These games provide the same experience that players can get in brick-and-mortar casinos; it also brings the social aspect back to table games, where players can try to “read” the dealer or other players.

Quality User Interface

The online betting experience should be a positive one, and that means the user interface should be smooth, responsive and easy to navigate. Menus should be organized in a way that makes sense.

Mobile Site Navigability

The mobile site should be as functional and attractive as the full-blown site on a computer. Mobile betting pages should be easily readable on the smaller screen of a mobile device and the mobile sports betting experience should be smooth and easy. Pages should load quickly without technical problems. Many mobile sportsbooks offer casino apps and mobile sports betting apps to make it easier to play.

Customer Support Team

When there are issues or questions, the customer support team should be available and capable. Customer service should ideally be available 24/7 in multiple languages by email, phone or live chat. 

App & Site Security Features

Sending money online to an offshore betting site can be risky. Sites should be trusted to protect your financial information and pay out in full, on time. Any site that had any question marks about their security and trust were immediately eliminated from consideration by our experts. 

Land-Based Casino Gambling Locations in Arkansas

In 2018, Arkansas voters approved an amendment allowing land-based casino gambling in the state. Four casino properties were approved, and three of them have been built and are now in operation. Here’s a look at the commercial casinos that are available in the state. 

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort

Located in Hot Springs, Oaklawn opened in 1904 as a thoroughbred racing track. Games were added the next year for a run as a casino until the state cracked down on in-person gambling. There is a spa, hotel and casino, which underwent an expansion in 2021. It features 24/7 blackjack, craps and slots.

Southland Casino Racing

Located in West Memphis, Southland Casino opened as a dog racing track in 1956. It expanded to include casino games in 2019 and now features 1700 gaming machines. They also offer live greyhound racing and simulcast dog and horse race betting. 

Saracen Casino Resort

Located in Pine Bluff, Saracen opened its first section in 2019, with 300 slot machines. A second section was built across the street and opened in 2020 with 2,100 slot machines, 30 gaming tables, a sportsbook and a poker room. 

Popular Casino Gambling Options

Casinos offer a wide variety of different gaming options, and casinos at online gambling sites have a similar diversity in games. Players can win money in a range of different gambling options. Here are some of the more popular casino games you’ll come across. 

Slots

Slots are the first thing most visitors to a casino notice, and they are also a headliner at online casinos. Wheels with symbols on them are spun, and players need to get symbols on different wheels to match. Classic slot games have three wheels, but newer games have added wheels and made other twists to the game. Online slots have hundreds of different variations and slot titles, including 3D games, progressive jackpots and more. 

Poker

Poker is the card game played most often across the globe, and there are a large number of different variations. The point is to compete against other players to have the best hand. The number of cards in a player’s hand can vary, as can the number of cards visible to other players and whether cards can be replaced in an effort to improve your hand. Online poker comes in two forms: Video poker uses simulated cards and random number generators to “deal” out each hand. There are also live dealer games that match up online poker players around the world by video feed and have human dealers at poker tables. Online poker tournaments are going on at all times, with real cash prizes. 

Blackjack

Another popular casino game is blackjack. Players compete against the dealer to see whose hand comes closer to a point total without going over. It can be offered online in video form or with live dealer games. 

Roulette

Roulette is another wheel-based game where players bet on which numbered slot a ball will land in when the wheel stops spinning. They can bet on specific numbers or the color of the slot the ball will stop at, or they can bet on ranges of numbers. 

Live Dealers

Live dealer table games are a popular way to play because it gives a realistic casino experience. Players and dealers are connected by video feed, so players can read each other’s expressions for tells and bluffs. 

Niche Casino Options

There are plenty of other games that don’t fall into one of the above categories. Baccarat is a card game where players bet on the outcome of a player vs. dealer matchup. Craps is a dice game that can be found at many casinos. Lottery games like keno and bingo are also popular, as are electronic games that simulate horse races. 

How to Create an Account at an Online Casino Site

Creating an account at offshore sites is fast and simple. Simply choose from the payment methods available and head to the page of the casino online. The entire process takes only a couple of minutes. 

Step 1. Sign-Up

Choose one of the online casino sites listed in our top 10 recommendations and go to the page. Click on the button to open a new account. 

Step 2. Verify Your Details

Fill out the registration form and reply with a code sent to your phone to verify your identity. 

Step 3. Deposit Funds

Choose a deposit method from the list on the cashier page, enter your information, and don’t forget to include the promo code for the welcome bonus you want. 

Step 4. Enjoy Casino Gambling

That’s it. You’ve got yourself an account. Pick a game and start playing. Good luck and have fun!

FAQs – Arkansas Online Casinos