Arkansas Gaming License
Arkansas issues no new casino license. Amendment 100, as amended by Issue 2 in 2024, directs the Arkansas Racing Commission to issue exactly three casino licenses, and all three are held: Oaklawn, Southland and Saracen. What a new business can obtain in Arkansas is a vendor, supplier or occupational license.
Arkansas law calls this a casino gaming license, and searches for an Arkansas gaming license or an Arkansas gambling license point at the same Amendment 100 regime. An Arkansas license carries no rights outside Arkansas, and Arkansas grants no online casino or iGaming license at all. Operators who need a remote license for online play should compare offshore and EU routes on our gambling license hub.
Key facts
| Regime | Amendment 100, the Arkansas Casino Gaming Amendment of 2018, a constitutional amendment, as amended by Issue 2 (November 2024), codified as Amendment 104 |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC), within the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) |
| Tax administration | DFA Casino Gaming Section |
| Casino licenses | Three Arkansas casino licenses, per Amendment 100 §4(i): Oaklawn (Garland County), Southland (Crittenden County), Saracen (Jefferson County) |
| Pope County | Fourth license repealed by Issue 2. The ARC had awarded it to Cherokee Nation Entertainment in June 2024 |
| Casino format | Land-based only. Arkansas grants no online casino or iGaming license |
| Sports betting | Legal and tied to the three casinos. Retail since 1 July 2019, mobile since 4 March 2022 |
| New casino | Requires a change to the Arkansas Constitution and a countywide special election under Amendment 100 §4(t)(5) before the ARC may accept an application |
| License per entity | One Arkansas casino license per person or entity |
| Casino application fee | Capped at $250,000 |
| Casino term | 10 years, renewal fee capped at $10,000 |
| Gaming tax | 13% on the first $150,000,000 of net casino gaming receipts, 20% above, including sports wagering |
| Minimum age | 21. Mobile wagering requires 21+ and in-state geolocation |
| Obtainable route | Manufacturer/Distributor/Sports-Wagering vendor license and Service Industry Company license |
Is there a commercial or online gambling license available in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas offers neither a general Arkansas commercial casino license nor an Arkansas online gambling license to new or foreign applicants. Arkansas casino gaming is capped by the state constitution at three named casinos, and Arkansas grants no online casino license at all. The one route a new business can take is an ARC vendor or supplier license.
The three casino licenses were not won in an open competition. Amendment 100 assigned two of them to existing racing franchise holders and one to Jefferson County, and Issue 2 removed the fourth before it could operate. No application window exists for a new casino, at any price.
The vendor route is real and active. In February 2026 the Arkansas Racing Commission approved FanDuel and DraftKings as sports wagering vendors to Oaklawn and Southland. Two of the largest sportsbooks in the United States entered Arkansas as suppliers to a casino, not as licensed operators, because that is the only structure the rules allow.
What is the Arkansas casino gaming regime?
Amendment 100, the Arkansas Casino Gaming Amendment of 2018, legalized casino gaming by amending the Arkansas Constitution. The Arkansas Racing Commission administers Amendment 100 under the Department of Finance and Administration. Amendment 100 originally authorized four county casinos. Issue 2 cut that number to three in November 2024. Land-based casinos only.
Voters approved Amendment 100 as Issue 4 in November 2018 with 54.1% of the vote. The amendment named four counties, Garland, Crittenden, Jefferson and Pope, and set both the gaming tax and its distribution.
Voters then approved Issue 2 on 5 November 2024 with 55.8% of the vote. Issue 2 is codified as Amendment 104 of the Arkansas Constitution, and court filings use that name. Amendment 100 now reads: "The Arkansas Racing Commission shall issue three casino licenses."
Who regulates gambling in Arkansas?
The Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) regulates gambling in Arkansas, operating within the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). The ARC licenses casino gaming, sports wagering and all supplier and occupational categories, and holds general rulemaking authority. The DFA Casino Gaming Section administers the net casino gaming receipts tax.
The statutory mission of the Arkansas Racing Commission is to regulate thoroughbred racing and casino gaming. The operational detail is in the ARC Casino Gaming Rules, current 2025 revision, which cover sports wagering, supplier licensing and the revenue retention rule described below.
Official sources: dfa.arkansas.gov/office/racing-commission and the DFA Casino Gaming Section.
How many casino licenses exist in Arkansas?
Three. Amendment 100 directs the Arkansas Racing Commission to issue three casino licenses, and all three are held. The three are Oaklawn in Garland County, Southland in Crittenden County and Saracen in Jefferson County. Issue 2 cut the number from four in November 2024 and repealed the Pope County authorization.
| Casino | County | City |
|---|---|---|
| Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort | Garland | Hot Springs |
| Southland Casino Hotel | Crittenden | West Memphis |
| Saracen Casino Resort | Jefferson | Pine Bluff |
Two of the three licenses went to franchise holders without an application. Amendment 100 directed the Arkansas Racing Commission to license the racing franchise holders in Crittenden and Garland counties, which is how Southland and Oaklawn hold theirs. The Jefferson County license went to Saracen.
One entity may hold only one Arkansas casino license. Expansion now needs two separate approvals: a change to the constitution, and a countywide special election in the county concerned.
The Pope County history is the clearest warning in this jurisdiction. The Arkansas Supreme Court voided the Pope County license twice. The Gulfside award fell in October 2021 over an invalid letter of support. The joint Legends and Cherokee Nation Businesses award fell in October 2023, because Amendment 100 bars dual licensing. The Arkansas Racing Commission then awarded the license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment in June 2024, and Issue 2 repealed the county five months later.
What is the Arkansas Service Industry (supplier) License?
The Service Industry Company license is the Arkansas Racing Commission license for businesses supplying an Arkansas casino. Casino Gaming Rule 358-303 requires it from suppliers of casino games, equipment, maintenance or management services, and from any entity doing more than $150,000 of business with one casino licensee. The license costs $1,000 plus a $5,000 application fee.
Technology suppliers file under the same license on a different form. The Manufacturer/Distributor/Sports-Wagering form costs $1,000 plus a $6,000 application fee. The form covers payment processors, KYC vendors, player account management providers, data and risk management suppliers, geolocation services, software, sports gaming equipment and kiosks, and platform developers. Both forms run three years. ARC sets a separate threshold of $25,000 a calendar year for sales to an Arkansas franchise holder.
Between them, these two forms cover most of the iGaming and sportsbook supply chain. Both require Arkansas Racing Commission background and suitability review, and both are tied to one of the three casinos. Banking and payments run on normal United States rails with standard AML and Bank Secrecy Act obligations, which makes Arkansas unremarkable on that front next to offshore jurisdictions.
Key personnel file separately. Key employee and general employee licenses cost $75 each plus an application fee and carry their own suitability review. Every applicant files a Business Entity Disclosure, plus a Personal History Disclosure for each person the Commission requires to qualify. Every applicant must also prove stability, integrity and economic responsibility to a clear and convincing evidence standard.
Is online gambling or sports betting available in Arkansas?
Arkansas grants no online casino or iGaming license. Sports betting is legal and tied to the casinos: the three licensed casinos run it, retail since 1 July 2019 and mobile since 4 March 2022. A third-party sportsbook cannot hold the Arkansas operator license and must enter as a casino vendor.
The majority-retention rule shapes every sports betting deal in Arkansas. Casino Gaming Rule 358-302 prohibits an online sports pool where a majority of its net casino gaming receipts is paid to a third-party vendor. The casino therefore keeps at least half of online sports pool receipts. A national brand operates as a vendor, never as a principal.
That rule kept the national sportsbooks out for years. FanDuel and DraftKings entered only in February 2026, as vendors to Oaklawn and Southland, with the casino remaining the licensed operator. Any supplier planning Arkansas should structure to that model.
Licensees also carry responsible gambling duties under the Casino Gaming Rules, including deposit limits and a displayed helpline. Two further conditions apply to mobile wagering. A casino must operate a retail sports pool before or while offering online wagering, and every mobile bettor must be 21 or older and physically inside Arkansas, confirmed by geolocation.
How it works
How does the Arkansas casino licensing process work?
Navigating the gaming license process can be complex. Here's a streamlined guide to each step.
No casino process is open. Amendment 100 assigned two licenses to franchise holders in Garland and Crittenden counties without an application, and one to Jefferson County. Since Issue 2, a county that is not already licensed needs a constitutional change and a countywide special election before the Arkansas Racing Commission may accept any casino application.
The obtainable licenses follow a five-step route:
What are the requirements for an Arkansas license?
Requirements split by license type. An Arkansas casino license demands casino gaming experience, local support, capitalization and suitability of key people, but no application can be filed today. A vendor or supplier license demands entity and personal disclosures, a clean record, and proof of suitability to the Commission's standard.
For a casino license, if a county ever opens:
Casino gaming experience.
Local support, including a letter of support from the county judge or a resolution from the quorum court, and a letter from the mayor where the site is inside a city.
A countywide special election in favor, under Issue 2.
Capitalization and a site in an authorized county.
Background and suitability clearance for owners, officers and board members.
For a vendor, supplier or occupational license:
Business entity disclosure for the applicant and every entity holding an interest in it.
Personal history disclosure for each person the Commission requires to qualify.
Proof of stability, integrity and economic responsibility to a clear and convincing evidence standard.
No disqualifying felony, and no prior casino license revocation in any state.
Payment of application and license fees, plus investigation costs above the fee.
A passport and a utility bill do not open this market. Arkansas runs a United States state suitability review, not an offshore document exchange.
How much does an Arkansas license cost?
Vendor entry costs $6,000 to $7,000 in first-year Arkansas Racing Commission fees, then $1,000 a year, plus investigation costs. The casino application fee is capped at $250,000 and the ten-year renewal at $10,000, but both figures are academic because no new casino license is available. Fees below follow the ARC schedule revised 20 October 2025.
| Item | License fee | Application fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casino, 10 years | $10,000 renewal | Capped at $250,000 | No new licenses available |
| Manufacturer/Distributor/Sports-Wagering vendor | $1,000 | $6,000 | License fee is annual. Platform, geolocation, data, player account management, payments, KYC, kiosks |
| Service Industry Company | $1,000 | $5,000 | License fee is annual. Entities doing more than $150,000 with one casino licensee |
| Key employee, 3 years | $75 | $100 | Individuals in key roles at a licensed casino |
| General employee, 3 years | $75 | $50 | Other licensed gaming employees at a casino |
| Service Industry or Manufacturer key employee | $75 | $300 | Key personnel of a vendor or supplier licensee |
| Service Industry or Manufacturer general employee | $75 | $150 | Other personnel of a vendor or supplier licensee |
| Replacement license | $5 | None | Reissue of an existing license |
| Federal excise on sports handle | Not applicable | Not applicable | 0.25% of handle |
The $1,000 license fee recurs. ARC sets a renewal fee on or before 1 January of each subsequent year. A Manufacturer/Distributor pays $7,000 in year one and $1,000 in years two and three, $9,000 across the three-year cycle. A Service Industry Company pays $8,000. Fees are not refundable, and applicants are billed for investigation costs above the application fee. The casino application fee behaves differently: Arkansas Racing Commission rules refund one half of it if a casino application is not successful.
The license fee has never been the barrier to a casino in Arkansas. Amendment 100 makes an applicant show it has the capital for a site-specific resort, and the build is what costs money. Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff cost the Quapaw Nation $350 million and opened in October 2020, against a $250,000 fee cap. For a vendor, the commercial terms matter more than the fee: the share of online sports pool receipts the casino retains, and the gaming tax below.
What taxes apply to Arkansas casino gaming?
Arkansas taxes net casino gaming receipts at 13% on the first $150,000,000 and 20% on receipts above $150,000,001. Casino gaming expressly includes accepting wagers on sporting events, so sports betting is taxed on the same schedule. Licensees file and pay monthly to the Department of Finance and Administration by the 20th.
The tax is distributed, not stacked. The 13% and 20% rates are the whole gaming tax, and the shares below divide what has already been collected:
55% to the Arkansas General Revenue Fund.
19.5% to the host city or town.
17.5% to the ARC Purse and Awards Fund, for racing purses at Oaklawn and Southland.
8% to the host county.
A separate federal excise tax of 0.25% applies to sportsbook handle. Ordinary Arkansas corporate income tax applies to a licensee's profits, at a top state corporate rate of 4.3% in 2026, dropping to 4.1% on 1 January 2027.
For market context, the American Gaming Association reports Arkansas casino gaming revenue of $742.6 million in 2025, up 3.1%. Sports betting produced $61.5 million of that, up 27.6%, and mobile platforms generated more than 93% of the sports betting total. Direct gaming tax was $116.0 million, up 5.5%.
What are the advantages of the Arkansas casino gaming regime?
The advantages belong to suppliers, not to would-be casino operators. Arkansas offers a regulated United States market with published statutory fees, a ten-year casino term, and limited competition for the three incumbents. Vendor licensing costs $6,000 to $7,000 in first-year ARC fees and the category list is broad.
What the Arkansas market offers today:
Arkansas Racing Commission supervision makes this a legal, regulated United States state market.
Published fee schedules, revised 20 October 2025, rather than negotiated pricing.
A casino license runs ten years, a vendor license three.
The vendor category is broad: payments, KYC, player account management, data, geolocation and platform.
Competitive conditions for the three licensed casinos should hold steady, which is how the American Gaming Association reads the immediate future.
FanDuel and DraftKings proved the entry template when ARC licensed them as vendors in February 2026.
None of this includes a commercial or online operator license. Arkansas does not offer one to new applicants.
What are the disadvantages and limitations of the Arkansas regime?
The central limitation is that the product most operators want does not exist here. Arkansas has no commercial casino license and no online operator license available to a new applicant. All three casino licenses are held, and any expansion needs both a constitutional change and a countywide vote.
The practical constraints:
No general or online operator license exists for a new applicant.
Arkansas casino licenses are closed at three, one per entity, and gated behind a referendum.
Every meaningful gaming activity is tied to Oaklawn, Southland or Saracen, which leaves three possible counterparties and little bargaining power.
Margins are thin for any third-party sportsbook under the majority-retention rule on online sports pools.
Litigation risk is live. A federal judge dismissed the Cherokee Nation Entertainment challenge to Issue 2 on 28 August 2025, and the Cherokee Nation is appealing to the Eighth Circuit.
The market is small. $742.6 million in casino revenue and $61.5 million in sports betting statewide in 2025.
Suitability review is thorough, investigation costs are billed to the applicant, and a disqualifying felony or a prior license revocation anywhere bars entry.
How can MGL Solutions help with Arkansas?
MGL Solutions will not sell an Arkansas casino license, because Arkansas does not issue one to new applicants. We do vendor and supplier licensing with the Arkansas Racing Commission and the disclosure work behind it. We also structure casino partnerships under the majority-retention rule and monitor the Pope County appeal.
Our Arkansas gaming licensing services:
Manufacturer/Distributor/Sports-Wagering vendor license applications for geolocation, data, KYC and payment suppliers, and for platform developers.
Service Industry Company license applications for suppliers crossing the $150,000 threshold with one casino licensee.
Business entity and personal history disclosures, and preparation for Arkansas Racing Commission suitability review.
Key employee and general employee license filings for the people the Commission requires to qualify.
Casino partnership and market access structuring that respects the majority-retention rule.
Monitoring of the Eighth Circuit appeal and of any county moving toward a casino referendum.
If Arkansas turns out to be the wrong jurisdiction for your model, we license operators elsewhere and have obtained 300+ licenses for clients. Our consultancy starts with the model rather than the paperwork: tell us how you plan to operate and we will tell you which market fits it.
How does Arkansas compare with other gaming jurisdictions?
Arkansas is in a different class from the jurisdictions most operators compare. Arkansas is a closed constitutional regime with three casinos, no online license and a referendum gate. Offshore and EU jurisdictions issue operator licenses on application. The comparison below is about access, not about cost.
| Jurisdiction | Can a new operator apply? | Online operator license | Cap on licenses | What a new entrant can obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | No | None | Three casino licenses, constitutionally fixed | Vendor, supplier and occupational licenses only |
| Anjouan | Yes | Yes | No cap | A full operator license |
| Curacao | Yes | Yes | No cap | A full operator license |
| Malta | Yes | Yes | No cap | An EU-regulated operator license |
| Kahnawake | Yes | Yes | No cap | A full operator license |
Status as of August 2026. Arkansas is not a slower or costlier version of these routes, it is a closed market that issues a different class of license. Operators comparing remote licensing options should start at our gambling license hub.
An Arkansas license authorizes gaming only inside Arkansas, and an offshore or EU license authorizes nothing in Arkansas or anywhere else in the United States. Operators targeting United States players need state-level authorization in each state they serve.
Reviewed by the MGL Solutions licensing team, which has obtained 300+ gaming licenses for operators and suppliers across offshore, onshore and EU tier-1 markets.
Arkansas gaming law on this page follows the Arkansas Racing Commission rules and the Arkansas Constitution, current to August 2026. The summary is general information rather than legal advice, and any applicant should confirm specific obligations with Arkansas counsel before filing.
FAQ
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The Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC), within the Department of Finance and Administration, regulates gambling in Arkansas. The ARC licenses casino gaming, sports wagering and all vendor and occupational categories. The DFA Casino Gaming Section administers the gaming tax.
No. Amendment 100 caps Arkansas casino licenses at three, and all three are held. One entity may hold only one license. A casino in any new county requires a change to the Arkansas Constitution and a countywide special election before the Arkansas Racing Commission may accept an application.
Arkansas grants no online casino license. Sports betting is legal but runs through the three licensed casinos, both retail and mobile. A third-party sportsbook enters as a casino vendor and must leave the casino at least half of net online sports pool receipts.
An Arkansas casino license runs ten years. The renewal application is filed at least six months before the expiry date, and the renewal fee is capped at $10,000. The Arkansas Racing Commission issues an approved renewal within ten days.
Amendment 100 caps the Arkansas casino application fee at $250,000. Arkansas Racing Commission rules refund one half of the fee if the application is not successful. The cap is academic, because no new Arkansas casino license is available.
The Service Industry Company license is the Arkansas Racing Commission license for casino suppliers. Casino Gaming Rule 358-303 requires it from any entity doing more than $150,000 of business with one casino licensee. The license costs $1,000 plus a $5,000 application fee and runs three years.
Issue 2 passed on 5 November 2024 with 55.8% of the vote and is now Amendment 104 of the Arkansas Constitution. Issue 2 cut Arkansas casino licenses from four to three and repealed the Pope County authorization. Any new county now needs a countywide special election first.
Amendment 100 requires the Arkansas Racing Commission to provide at least $200,000 a year for compulsive gambling treatment and education, working with the Arkansas Department of Human Services. The funding comes from the Commission, not from a levy on licensees. The Arkansas Problem Gambling Council runs statewide support services.
There is no federal licence. Each state decides for itself, and most of them license neither online casino nor betting.
US gambling licensing, state by stateWhere a licence exists, where only betting is allowed, and what to run in the restOverviewArkansas issues no new casino license, but vendor, supplier and occupational licenses with the Arkansas Racing Commission are open. Tell us what your company supplies to casinos and we'll confirm the right ARC category.