The Arkansas State Racing Commission recently approved 17 new sports betting markets, allowing the state’s casinos to start accepting wagers on the sports.
Department of Finance and Administration spokesman Scott Hardin said the new options include bare-knuckle fighting, beach volleyball, bowling, cornhole, disc golf, field hockey, floorball, futsal, lacrosse, lawn bowling, National Hot Rod Association drag racing, pool, snooker, table tennis, volleyball, water polo and world sailing. Hardin added these new markets will supplement 15 sports markets already authorized for betting
The additions had been requested by casino representatives, said Jennifer Rushin, tax division manager for the casino gaming section at the state’s Department of Finance and Administration. Casinos still must receive Rushin’s approval before they can add to their wagering options specific leagues within the new markets.
Rushin noted the casino representatives initially suggested 56 new sports betting markets. She told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “Out of the 56 that we looked at, we came up with these 17. The caveat is that they would continue to look at the book to see what else they would add.” The sports markets that were not approved included obscure sports such as professional tag and slap fighting, she said.
Carlton Saffa, chief marketing officer for Saracen Casino Resort, told the Democrat-Gazette, “Everything that we’re looking at is something that has been approved in another state. In most instances, most states. In some instances, as many as 30 states.”
He said the casinos will work with Rushin to review the specific integrity of the leagues within each of the markets. “For example, we’re asking for bowling to be an approved sport and that we work with Jennifer to determine whether or not there’s a southern bowling league and a Canadian bowling league and a Chilean bowling league,” Saffa said.
Saffa said he hoped representatives from Arkansas’ three casinos−Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs−could meet “soon” to expand the state’s sports wagering markets and “provide Arkansas consumers with the same options for wagering that they would have in other states.”
The executive noted that the casinos operating in neighboring states, including Tennessee and Louisiana, have “robust” catalogs. Saffa also remarked that casinos could choose not to offer all the new sports markets approved by the commission.
Arkansas voters approved retail sports betting in 2018 and mobile sports betting launched last year. The total handle from sports wagers in 2022 was $186 million, with $122 million coming through mobile apps. In 2023, daily sports wagers at the state’s casinos averaged more than $1.04 million, including $873,600 wagered daily on mobile apps and $171,690 through on-site bets at casino sportsbooks.
The state has received an average of $417,500 in tax revenue from sports betting per month in 2023. Casino revenue is taxed at the same rate as sports betting, blackjack, or slots. Hardin said the casinos pay 13 percent in taxes on all revenue under $150 million per year, and 20 percent on all revenue over $150 million.
