Arkansas is a nature lover’s paradise, offering diverse landscapes and a rich history. There are abundant park and wilderness areas, including popular locales such as Hot Springs National Park and Buffalo National River. In the northwest of the state, the Ozark Mountain region features spectacular hiking trails and enticing limestone caves such as Blanchard Springs Caverns waiting to be explored. You can visit the Little Rock Zoo, or the Clinton Presidential Center, which houses the archives from Bill Clinton’s two terms as President of the United States.
If you’re planning to vacation in Arkansas and you’re a gambler, you’re also in luck. The state offers casino gambling, sports betting and live horse racing.
The legal gambling age in Arkansas is 21.
Top Arkansas Casinos: where can you bet and play slots in the Natural State
While electronic gaming machines were legalized at Arkansas racetracks in 2005, it wasn’t until 2018 that full-on casino gambling with slot machines, table games and poker was legalized in the state.
Today, Arkansas offers access to a trio of land-based casinos that deliver a variety of gaming and resort experiences. You can combine live horse racing with casino gambling at Oaklawn Hot Springs. Fine dining is available at all three sites, while two of the three casino resorts also provide access to an on site hotel.
A fourth casino option, Legends Casino & Resort, is in the works. It will be located in the heart of the River Valley, approximately 75 miles northwest of Little Rock. The $300 million project will feature world-class gaming and resort-style amenities, including an on site hotel and superior dining options.
Oaklawn Hot Springs
- 2705 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901
- (501) 623-4411
- oaklawn.com
An all-encompassing resort providing access to casino gambling, live horse racing, luxurious hotel accommodations and world class entertainment, Oaklawn Hotel Springs has everything you could want all in one location.
The 100% smoke-free casino operates 24/7 providing access to slots, craps and blackjack. There are 1400 slot machines and video poker machines, starting with penny slots. The 30 table games include blackjack, roulette, craps and mini-baccarat. Poker games include Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker and Mississippi Stud.
If sports betting is your thing, The Oaklawn Sportsbook provides access to betting kiosks 24/7. Oaklawn has been one of the premiere thoroughbred horse racetracks in the country since 1904. You can bet on the live racing, or on simulcasting from tracks spanning the globe.
Rooms and suites in the resort hotel start out at $160 per night. Book a treatment in the Astral Spa. Dining and night options offer a dozen on site restaurants and bars. There is meeting space for business guests and ballrooms for hosting weddings and other celebratory events.
Frankie Valli, The Righteous Brothers and Loverboy are among the acts that have performed at the Oaklawn Events Center.
Saracen Casino Resort
- 1 Saracen Resort Drive, Pine Bluff, AR 71601
- (870) 686-9001
- saracenresort.com
Saracen Casino Resort offers an 80,000 square-foot gaming area featuring more than 1,600 slot machines, 40 table games and a dedicated poker room. Slots offer everything from classic reels to pop culture-themed video games equipped with the latest technology. You can play penny slots, or have a go at high-limit games. There’s daily fixed jackpots, as well as progressive jackpots.
Baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette are among table game options. There’s also Louisiana Stud, 3-card poker and Jackpot (Texas) Hold’em. Sit in on a game of Texas Hold’em inside the Saracen poker room. Reserve a spot in tournaments, tackle one of the high limit options and enjoy tableside beverage service while playing. Sports bettors can get action on their favorite games inside the Saracen Sportsbook.
When you’re ready to take a break from the action, indulge in one of Saracen’s three on-site restaurants, including their award-winning Red Oak Steakhouse. Grab some breakfast at Legends Restaurant, or some finger food inside The Post.
Southland Casino Hotel
- 1550 North Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR 72301
- (800) 467-6182
- southlandcasino.com
A greyhound racetrack up until 2022, Southland Casino Hotel today offers casino gambling, a sportsbook, several dining options and a luxurious hotel. Slots total more than 2,300 machines, including classics, favorites, new exclusives and massive progressive jackpots. With penny slots to high limit machines, there’s an option for every level of player.
There are dozens of table game options from blackjack to baccarat to craps. Card-themed games include jackpot hold’em, 3-card poker and Louisiana Stud. Big shooters can step into the Southland Casino High Limit Room. There, six high limit blackjack tables offer minimum bets of $50. There’s also 54 slot machines letting you spin to win with $1, $5, $10, $50, and $100 denominations. The Betly Sports Bar retail sportsbook provides the opportunity to bet on sports and on simulcast horse racing.
The 300-room hotel offers both Queen and King rooms and suites, with rates starting as low as $116 per night. Enhance your stay by crafting a personalized experience and adding flowers, chocolate, champagne or something to nibble on that will be waiting for you in your Southland Casino Hotel room upon check in.
Seven different dining options include the popular Charred Oak Bourbon Bar and the enticing Ignite Steakhouse.
Arkansas Horse Racing
Pari mutuel wagering on horse and greyhound racing has been legal in Arkansas since the mid-1930s. While greyhound racing is no longer offered in Arkansas, the state has proven to be a popular destination for thoroughbred horse racing. Oaklawn plays host to the Arkansas Derby, annually one of the key Kentucky Derby preps. This race has been contested since 1936. Three Arkansas Derby winners have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby – Sunny’s Halo (1983), Smarty Jones (2004) and American Pharoah, who would go on to win the Triple Crown in 2015.
Simulcast wagering and advance deposit wagering on tracks from around the world are offered to Arkansas horse players.
Arkansas Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting was approved in Arkansas in 2019. However, it took until 2022 for the Arkansas Racing Commission to finally give the go ahead for the legalization of online sports betting in the state. However, none of the major players in the US online sports betting industry are present in Arkansas.
Betly is the only online sportsbook operating in Arkansas that offers sports betting in other states. The other two online sports betting options are directly connected to two of the state’s three casinos – Bet Saracen and Oaklawn Sports.
Anyone visiting Arkansas who is at least 21 years of age can open an account with one of these sites and place bets while still physically located within state lines.
Arkansas online sports betting markets: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, boxing, MMA/UFC, soccer, tennis, golf, auto racing, cornhole, futsal, Gaelic Games, rugby, cricket, chess, darts, surfing.
Arkansas online sports betting types: Moneylines, point spreads, runlines, pucklines, totals, futures, parlays, same-game parlays, player, team and game props, live betting, micro betting, double chance, forecast, double result, grand salami, reverse forecast, round robin, teasers.
Arkansas Online Casinos
Online casino gambling is not legal in Arkansas.
While online sports betting is legal in the state, no bill has been put forth in an attempt to legalize online casino gambling.
Here is a list of top online and real money casinos in the USA you can use right now.
All Arkansas Casinos and Online Betting Sites
Land-Based Casinos in Arkansas
- Oaklawn Hot Springs Casino Resort
- Saracen Casino Resort
- Southland Casino Hotel
(Note: Legends Casino & Resort is a future project and not yet open.)
Horse Racing Tracks in Arkansas
- Oaklawn Park (Thoroughbred Racing & Simulcast Wagering)
Online Sportsbooks in Arkansas
- Betly Sportsbook Arkansas
- Bet Saracen Sportsbook Arkansas
- Oaklawn Sportsbook Arkansas
(Note: Major national sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, or BetMGM are not currently operating in Arkansas.)
