Arkansas's legal sports betting market has changed notably in 2026. On Feb. 26, the Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously approved FanDuel and DraftKings as sports wagering vendors, and both companies launched betting operations in the state on March 20.
Sports betting has been legal in Arkansas since 2019, and online wagering began in 2022. Until this year, though, residents had few options. Much of the hesitation among national operators came from a rule requiring third-party sportsbooks to give 51% of their revenue to an in-state casino partner, leaving them 49%. FanDuel and DraftKings have now accepted that arrangement.
Each company works through a casino license. FanDuel is tied to Oaklawn Casino, and its Arkansas product is described as "powered by Oaklawn Sports." The earlier Oaklawn Sports app, which ran under that casino's license, is no longer operating. DraftKings uses the license of Southland Casino Hotel, which was previously used by the Betly app. Saracen Casino Resort did not partner with a national sportsbook and continues to run its own BETSaracen app.
Arkansas has three commercial casinos: Southland, Oaklawn and Saracen. Each can operate two sportsbook apps. The 51%-49% revenue split still applies to every app in the state, and the new partnerships did not change it.
The path to this point began in May 2018, when the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on most sports wagering. Arkansas voters approved Issue 4 that November, authorizing casino gaming and sports betting at licensed casinos. The first legal bet was a $5 wager on the Dallas Cowboys at Oaklawn on July 1, 2019. Lawmakers passed House Bill 1942 in April 2021 to set a framework for online betting, and the Arkansas Legislative Council finalized the revenue-sharing rule in February 2022. Arkansas sportsbooks passed $1 billion in total handle in September 2024.
The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates racing, casino gaming and sports betting, both in person and online. Sportsbooks pay a 13% tax on the first $150 million in gaming revenue and 20% on revenue above that. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 55% of the tax goes to the state general fund, 27.5% to the city and county where the casino is located, and 17.5% to the commission's Purse and Awards Fund. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration reported $7.229 million in sports betting tax revenue from January through October 2025.
Bettors must be 21 and physically located in Arkansas, though they do not need to be state residents. The state places no restrictions on professional or college sports, in-state or out-of-state, and it allows collegiate player props. Wagers on esports are not permitted. Betting on awards such as the MLB MVP or NFL Coach of the Year is also available, which is not the case in every state with online betting.
Prediction markets operate separately. Kalshi and Polymarket are available in Arkansas because they are federally regulated trading markets, which lets users trade contracts on sporting event outcomes. The February decision did not allow FanDuel or DraftKings to offer prediction markets in the state, only sports wagering.
Arkansas offers help for people struggling with gambling. The National Problem Gambling Helpline can be reached at 1-800-MY-RESET, and the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council at 501-403-2321.
