Arkansas Online Poker – Is It Legal?
Shawn West has been involved with college basketball, NFL and college football and MLB since he left his job as bank vice president two decades ago. He lives in North Carolina with his wife, children, two dachshunds and a variety of turtles.
Arkansas card sharks looking for real money poker games have a couple of options. They can go to one of the state’s three casinos and find a seat at one of the poker tables there. Or, if they would rather play from home or on their phone or tablet, they can go to one of the best Arkansas betting sites located offshore that offer online casino gaming.
The sites are located outside of the country and are not subject to state laws, which don’t have a provision legalizing online poker. That means that online poker rooms can take players from Arkansas and give them the chance to win real money online. They also offer sportsbooks, online casino games and racebooks.
Our Highest-Rated Online Poker Sites for 2024
Which of the dozens of offshore gambling sites that have live poker rooms can you trust to give you an entertaining gambling experience and also keep your personal and financial information secure? That’s where our poker guide can provide some assistance. Our experts have looked at all the major offshore poker rooms and come up with their rankings of the most highly recommended online poker sites available to Arkansas players.
- Bovada – Home to America’s busiest online poker room
- BetOnline – Pays the highest welcome bonuses to Arkansas players
- Everygame – Offers the highest rakeback in AR
- SportsBetting.ag – Has quick, easy payouts and low rakes
Can you legally play poker online in Arkansas?
Arkansas residents are able to play real money poker at some of the state’s casinos as some of them offer land-based poker rooms. Residents seeking an online poker experience, though, do not have any locally-regulated options.
Arkansas does not allow poker sites to operate within the state; for that reason, many residents turn to offshore gambling sites instead.
Offshore online sites, like the ones our experts recommended, have live online poker rooms as well as a selection of online slots, table games and other games of chance. And, since they are not located in the U.S., they aren’t under the control of Arkansas state law. These offshore poker sites have been taking players from Arkansas and paying out real money winnings for years.
Comparing the Top Arkansas Poker Sites
Online poker rooms differ in a variety of ways, from the liquidity of the room to the number of players, tournaments and individual games going on at any time. Poker sites also differ in their quality of customer service, user interface and bonuses and promotions offered. What you’re looking for in a poker room may not match up with the criteria our experts took into account when determining the rankings. So, to help you find the best match for you, they’ve put together detailed evaluations of each site, with pros and cons lists.
1. Bovada: Home to America’s Busiest Poker Room
Bovada took the top spot in our rankings as the best online poker site available in Arkansas. It is home to the busiest poker room in the United States. Bovada is a member of the PaiWangLuo network, which also includes BoDog and Ignition Poker among other sites. It is the world’s sixth-busiest poker network, and the top five don’t allow players from America, making it the busiest one available in the United States. Since it’s part of a worldwide network, the Bovada poker room always has games starting and seats available, regardless of the time of day, meaning it is a dynamic poker experience with plenty of active players.
Bovada offers more multi-table poker tournaments than any other site in America, with 100 regular weekly online poker tournaments paying out $2 million in guaranteed prizes each week. The site offers a variety of popular poker games, including No-limit Hold’em, Fixed-Limit Hold’em, Draw Poker, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo. The tournaments include Sit ‘n’ Go, Knockout, Turbo and Fast Fold.
Bovada also offers a full-casino experience with one of the biggest online casinos in Arkansas, allowing users to play a wide range of table games and online slot games. There’s also a live dealer section and one of the world’s best sportsbooks, rivaling full-fledged casinos in Vegas. Adding to the overall gambling experience is the selection of generous Bovada promo codes that are available to bettors in Arkansas.
Pros:
- The busiest online option for American players
- $2 million in weekly tournament prize money
- The busiest tournament schedule, with 100 a week
- Low rollover requirements on poker bonus money
Cons:
- Welcome bonuses are lower than some offshore betting sites
- Rake is fairly high
2. BetOnline: Pays the Highest Welcome Bonuses to Arkansas Players
The BetOnline Casino took the second spot in our rankings of top poker rooms available in Arkansas. It is a part of one of the busiest poker networks in the world — the Chico Poker Network. SportsBetting.ag and Tiger Gaming are some of the other sites in the Chico Poker Network, and it is the third busiest poker network in America.
Americans make up about half of Chico’s online poker players, and the network has the highest liquidity of any of the poker networks that include Arkansas players. With high-stakes games starting all the time, BetOnline Poker has more than a million dollars in prize money up for grabs each day.
BetOnline has low buy-ins for tournaments and has re-entry tourneys as well. Their generous welcome bonus is the highest for any of the online sportsbooks with poker rooms, offering an initial deposit match of up to $1,000 by using BetOnline promo codes.
BetOnline’s tournament schedule includes Bounty-Limited Tourneys, Shootouts, Progressive Bounties, Rebuy Frenzies, Sit-and-Gos and Omaha tournaments. Individual game variations include Seven Card Stud, Mississippi Stud and Texas Hold’Em.
Pros:
- Pays a higher poker welcome bonus than other online casinos
- Has a million dollars in tournament prize money up for grabs each day
- Offers a variety of poker variations and tournament styles
- The highest liquidity poker network in the U.S.
Cons:
- Some users have complained about the poker room in online reviews
- Doesn’t offer a VIP loyalty points program
3. Everygame: Offers the Highest Rakeback in AR
Everygame finished third in our panel of experts’ rankings. They singled it out for paying the biggest poker rakebacks in Arkansas.
What exactly does that mean? Well, many online poker games and tournaments charge players an entry fee in order to compete. That fee is called the rake. Offshore casinos will often offer a cashback rebate that gives back a portion of that fee to players, as a perk or loyalty bonus. That rebate program is known as a rakeback — meaning you get some of your rake back.
Everygame refunds up to 36% of the rake, which exceeds the rakeback of other offshore sites. Everygame’s 200% welcome bonus matches a customer’s initial deposit up to $1,000 and they offer a cashback rebate program on poker room losses. Plus, there are a number of promo codes at Everygame that can be used for even more bonus funds and other perks.
Everygame is a part of the Horizon Poker Network. The games they offer in their great online poker section include Sit ‘n’ Go, Freerolls and Ring Games. Everygame also has a full casino experience with online sports betting, a racebook and online casino games and slots.
Pros:
- Pays the best rakeback in AR, returning up to 36%
- First deposit match of 200% for welcome bonus
- Has a cashback rebate program on poker losses
- Poker welcome bonus includes 25 free plays in the casino
Cons:
- Horizon Network isn’t as busy as some of the other networks in our rankings
- Doesn’t offer as many tournaments or variations as other poker sites
4. SportsBetting.ag: Has Quick, Easy Payouts and Low Rakes
SportsBetting.ag is the final site in our list of recommended online poker rooms available in Arkansas. It is a sister site of BetOnline, which took the No. 2 spot in our rankings. Like BetOnline, it is a member of the Chico Poker Network, which is the third-busiest one that takes American players. It’s also the poker network with the highest liquidity. Its tournament schedule pays out more than a million dollars a day in prize money.
SportsBetting earned special notice from our experts for having the lowest rakes in Arkansas. That means that its fees for entering tournaments and individual games are lower than at competing sites.
The site went through a recent upgrade and has a fast, efficient user interface, meaning you’ll spend less time clicking around looking for games or waiting for pages to load. SportsBetting also has a full-casino experience with a top-shelf sportsbook, racebook and online casino. Additionally, SportsBetting.ag provides their customers with a great selection of ongoing promotions to help them boost their bankrolls.
Pros:
- Has the lowest rakes in Arkansas
- User interface is fast and efficient
- A member of America’s third-busiest poker network
- Pays a million dollars in tournament prize money daily
Cons:
- Interface isn’t as attractive as other sites
- Some transactions are charged fees
Our Poker Site Rating Methodology
Our experts took into account multiple factors when compiling their rankings of the top poker rooms in Arkansas. Offshore casinos with poker rooms were evaluated based on the liquidity and activity level of their poker tables, variety of games, variations and limits available. Sites that offer a wide variety of games and tables for all levels of skill, experience and risk tolerance were rated higher. Online casinos were also compared based on the size of their welcome bonuses, the quality of the promotions they offer and the quality of their customer service. We even looked at customer reviews online.
The History of Gambling Laws in Arkansas
Arkansas’ gambling history is a push and pull between people looking to outlaw all forms of betting and people hoping to expand the state’s laws to allow more forms of gambling. The state’s constitution prohibited all forms of gambling when it was ratified in 1874. By the end of the 1890s, however, people were betting on horse races across the state, and the first casino opened in 1905.
The state moved quickly to ban horse racing within a few years, however, and it wasn’t legalized again until a 1935 law was passed. Anti-gambling forces then targeted casinos and the crackdown forced the last one out of business in the 1960s.
The pendulum has swung in favor of the pro-gambling group in recent years. Arkansas passed a low in 2005 allowing racetracks to install gambling machines. In 2008, the state adopted its first lottery, and in 2017, daily fantasy games were legalized.
A big step came in 2018 when the state approved a constitutional amendment to allow four casinos to be built in the state and offer sports betting, in addition to table games and slots. In 2021, Arkansas expanded sports betting to include online betting with a new law. Sports betting now produces $30 million a month in revenue.
Timeline of Arkansas Gambling
- 2022: The first legal online sports bets are placed on Arkansas-licensed sportsbooks.
- 2021: Lee Johnson sponsored legislation to legalize online gambling. Following a debate and a lawsuit, it was decided to confine it to online sports betting rather than poker and online casino activities. Governor Asa Hutchinson signed the bill into law after it passed.
- 2019: The first legal sports bets are accepted at Oaklawn Racing Casino, signifying the start of retail sportsbooks in the state.
- 2018: Arkansas voters pass Constitutional Amendment 100, which allows for full casino and sports betting. Four brick-and-mortar commercial casinos have been allowed for operation, each with a retail sportsbook.
- 2017: Daily fantasy sports has been recognized legal in the state.
- 2008: A state lottery begins.
- 2005: The Local Option Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act is passed, allowing racetracks to provide electronic gambling machines and indicating the state’s return to “racinos.”
- 1967: The final racinos and casinos in Hot Springs close as a result of a statewide gambling crackdown.
- 1935: Arkansas legalizes horse and greyhound racing.
- 1907: A law prohibiting horse racing is enacted.
- 1905: Oaklawn hosts the state’s first casino.
- 1874: Arkansas’ state constitution contains a gaming restriction that prohibits “lotteries.”
Key Features All of the Best Online Poker Sites Should Have
The four online poker rooms in our rankings offer very different playing experiences, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t similarities. There are some characteristics that all top-rated poker rooms must possess. Offering all your favorite games is not enough on its own; our experts identified a set of must-have factors for the best of the best.
Competitive Gambling Odds
Odds and payouts available in online games should be similar to the odds and payouts a real, physical game at a brick-and-mortar casino would exhibit. Sites get extra attention if they offer reduced juice betting lines or if they accept bets from professional and sharp bettors.
Multiple Betting Markets Available
Poker rooms should have a wide variety of different forms of gambling available, including online sports betting, racebooks and online casino games. Each of those types of gambling should have a diverse set of markets and variations available as well.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
There should be a number of different ways to conduct banking transactions, including classic methods like debit and credit cards and wire transfers, as well as newer forms of transactions, like e-wallets and cryptocurrency banking options, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum.
Promo Codes & Bonus Codes
Top sites should compete for your business. New customers should be offered a promo code entitling them to a deposit match bonus. Loyal customers should also have ongoing promotions available, including loyalty points programs, cashback bonuses and more.
Live Card Dealers Available
The top online poker rooms offer live dealer games with a video hookup to a human dealer, real cards and an actual gaming table. This provides as close to a simulation of a casino environment as possible without actually going to one. It also adds the social aspect to the game, as players can see tells from other players and the dealer and can attempt to bluff.
User Experience
The top gambling sites provide an entertaining user experience. The user interface should be easy to navigate, and the graphics should be attractive. Menus should make sense intuitively and be organized, allowing users to find the games they want and start playing quickly.
More people play poker on a mobile device than on a computer, so mobile platforms should be a top consideration for the top sites. Sites for mobile wagering should be as functional and attractive as the full-blown site. Many sites offer mobile apps to make it easier to get online, and some have a dedicated poker app to take customers straight to the poker room.
Customer Support Options
There should be a number of ways to contact customer support, including phone, email and live chat. Ideally, customer service would be available 24/7 in a variety of languages.
Site’s Security & Safety Features
When you’re playing poker for real money, it means making your financial information available to an offshore gambling site. So security should be a top priority. If our experts saw any security problems with any of the sites they were evaluating, it was removed from consideration immediately.
Varieties of Online Poker in Arkansas
Poker is the most popular card game in the world, and there are countless variations on how to play. Some of the most popular poker games online are:
Video Poker
Video poker games use simulated cards and a random number generator to “deal” out hands.
Online Poker Tournaments
Online poker tournaments are multi-player, multi-table events that are usually a series of games, eliminating players from the field as they run out of chips until one person is left standing. Most poker sites have numerous tournaments going at once, making it easy for individual players to find something that suits their budget and play style.
Cash Games
Cash tables are poker games that are not part of a tournament. They usually have no predetermined end time, and players can come and go from the table throughout the duration of the game. Poker sites usually have plenty of cash games going at any time and players can easily see how many active players there are and join any game from the poker lobby.
Sit & Go Poker Games
SNG games are games with no predetermined start time. The game begins when the specified number of players are seated at the table.
Freerolls
Freerolls are tournaments with no entry fee.
Three-card poker
Three-card poker is a fast-moving game meant to be played at the same pace as other casino table games.
Casinos With Poker Rooms in Arkansas
Arkansas approved commercial casinos in a 2018 referendum that passed an amendment to the state constitution. It allowed for four casinos to be created in the state for land-based gambling. Three have been opened so far, with slot machines, electronic gaming machines and a legal poker table, as well as a sportsbook. They include a racetrack and greyhound track that have each added casinos, as well as a new tribal casino.
Southland Casino Racing
Based in West Memphis on Ingram Blvd, Southland Casino began as Southland Park Gaming and Racing, a greyhound track that opened in 1956. It expanded to include casino games in 2019 and now has 1700 gaming machines. It also features a six-table poker room.
Saracen Casino Resort
Located in Pine Bluff, on Saracen Resort Dr., Saracen Casino was opened in 2019 and is run by the Quapaw Native American nation. It features 2,400 slot machines, 30 gaming tables on the casino floor and a separate high-end poker room.
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
Located in Hot Springs, Oaklawn began in the early 20th century as a horse track and racino. It now has 24/7 blackjack, craps and slots on the casino floor, as well as a five-table poker room.
Advantages of Playing Online Poker in Arkansas
There are a number of advantages to playing online poker at offshore betting sites, as opposed to in-person games. An obvious benefit for online poker players is convenience. You can play from your home or from virtually anywhere on your phone. You don’t need to travel to a physical casino.
Online games can pull players from around the world, so you have a greater variety of games, variations and player skill and experience levels. Generally, online poker rooms have a greater variety of ways to pay than physical casinos and often have better bonuses and promotions.
Finally, online poker provides privacy. No one knows your true identity, and you can take notes on other players or on cards that have been played or even look up strategies and tips online, some things that are frowned upon in person.
How to Create an Online Poker Account
Creating a real money online account at offshore betting sites is fast and easy. The registration process makes it easy for players to make their initial deposit and start playing real money games.
Step 1. Sign-Up
Choose a poker room from our list of recommended poker sites. Click on the button to open a new account at the site.
Step 2. Verify Your Poker Account Details
Fill out the registration form and verify your identity by responding to a code texted to your phone.
Step 3. Deposit Your Funds
Choose a way to fund your account from the options on the cashier page on the website. Fill out your personal information and enter the promo code to collect your welcome bonus.
Step 4. Enjoy Playing Poker
That’s it. You’re ready to find a table and get dealt in. Get in.
FAQs – Playing Poker for Money in Arkansas
Online wagering on sports and horse racing is available in Arkansas. Under the current regulations, players seeking real money poker games or other casino gaming have to use offshore sites.
The state has legalized casino gambling in person, as well as online sports and horse race betting. You can also play real money games of poker and casino games at online gambling sites located offshore. They are outside the jurisdiction of state law and have served Arkansas bettors for years.
Online casino gambling and poker are not offered by local gambling operators, and there is no poker legislation working to change that yet. However, residents can use offshore poker sites to play secure cash games anytime.
There are three land-based poker rooms in Arkansas. There is no state-licensed online poker; however, offshore poker sites do not have to follow AR online gambling regulations, so they can accept Arkansas players with no restrictions.
The Bovada poker room is one of several offshore sites that offer live online poker rooms in the Natural state. While Arkansas does not allow local poker sites to operate, there are no laws to prevent residents from playing real money games on Bovada.
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