Is Arkansas Set to Gamble on Online Casinos in 2025?
Legislators in the Natural State Could Go Ante-Up on SJR8 this Tuesday
Natural iGaming Frontier?
Tuesday, March 11 is the day all eyes will be on the Arkansas Senate Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs as they meet to discuss a big agenda, which includes Senate Joint Resolution 8 (SJR8). This constitutional amendment would pave the way for the expansion of online casino gaming in the Natural State.
Introduced by Senator Bryan King on January 30, SJR8 amends Amendment 100. That is the 2018 legislation that authorized Arkansas cash casinos. Right now, the proposal remains a “shell bill,” a flexible outline awaiting specific language. Sen. King, however, has made his intentions crystal clear.
In comments to Gambling.com last Friday, King emphasized his goal: “We desperately need the revenue to reduce our high crime rate and keep families and communities safe.”
His game plan is to have legislators, casino operators and industry experts work together to craft online gambling regulations. Discussions could start as early as this week, he added.
A lot to get to in today’s newsletter [link in next tweet 👇], starting with the latest on Arkansas’ online casino efforts I reported last week.@NEWSLarryHenry spoke with the sponsor who provided some details and an outlook on the effort, which has until April 11 to get done.
— Steve Ruddock (@SteveRuddock) March 10, 2025
Natural State of Gambling
This could be a big deal for Arkansas, which already has a strong land-based casino industry that brought in $708 million in 2024.
That was a 3% increase year over year. While the brick-and-mortar game is strong, the state has yet to get into the mobile gambling app game.
With SJR8 on the docket, many are wondering if Arkansas will soon join the growing list of states turning to online gambling for new revenue streams.
Setting the Stage for Online Casinos
SJR8 has not put all its cards on the table yet, but it does set the stage for iGaming additions that would be constitutional if voters approve.
Major casinos like Saracen Casino Resort are on board with the idea, seeing online casinos as a way to boost their physical properties and open up new revenue streams.
Saracen went big last year with over $250 million in property upgrades and saw significant revenue growth despite the competition. The resort’s Chief Marketing Officer, Carlton Saffa, is calling for more gambling regulations.
Not everyone is at the table though. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort’s General Manager, Wayne Smith, hinted in August 2024 they might be folding on the idea of an online casino expansion.
Sizing Up the Arkansas Casino Scene
Arkansas currently has three casinos in its market:
- Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (Garland County)
- Southland Casino Hotel (Crittenden County)
- Saracen Casino Resort (Jefferson County)
In 2024, these properties pumped in a combined $109.98 million into state coffers, up from $104.58 million the year before, according to the Arkansas Racing Commission. Even slot machine and terminal wagers increased from $6.77 billion in 2021 to $7.64 billion in 2024, showing the market is trending up.
The human factor is impressive too. Since Amendment 100 in 2018, casino gaming has become a job creator.
Saracen has 800 employees with 200-300 more to be added once their recent upgrades are complete. Oaklawn grew from 700 to 900 employees between 2020 and 2024. Southland went from 480 employees in 2015 to 1,200 in 2024, according to ArkansasBusiness.com.
Looking Beyond Arkansas in 2025
Nationally, the American Gaming Association (AGA) just reported a record-breaking $8.41 billion revenue generated from online casinos in 2024, a notable 28.7% year-over-year jump.
Clearly, online casinos aren’t just a fad. They’re becoming a staple in the gaming industry, now representing 11.7% of the total US commercial gaming revenue. States like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are already cashing in on their digital tables, showing there’s ample room for Arkansas and other jurisdictions at this profitable party.
However, states like Indiana and Wyoming made casino news for rejecting their iGaming proposals earlier this year.
Meanwhile, other jurisdictions like New York have kept the discussion sidelined during the last couple of weeks.
Will Arkansas Make the Big Bet?
With SJR8, Arkansas has a decision to make. Will lawmakers use online casino revenue for public safety or will others slow play? One thing is for sure, this legislation puts Arkansas in the spotlight.
Keep an eye on Tuesday. Arkansas could be about to deal itself into the digital age of gaming… or fold and stick to the traditional bets.
Stay tuned! This could be the hand that reshuffles the future of betting casinos in Arkansas.
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