Just legalized March 4, online sports betting made its debut when Southland Casino Racing launched Betly sportsbook. Partial debut if you want the truth. Mobile phones are not yet accessible, only through computer browsers, according to Sports Handle.
“The Betly online sportsbook will make it even easier for our patrons, all Arkansas residents, and visitors to the state to wager on their favorite teams,” David Wolf, president, and general manager of Southland Casino, said in a statement. “Many patrons are already using our Betly sportsbook kiosks at Southland, so the online sportsbook will be a familiar and convenient.”
The sportsbook offers wagering on a variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, and football.
It seemed that Saracen Casino Resort would be first to the online market with its BetSaracen app. But now BetSaracen will launch a few days after Betly, according to KNWA. The casino expected to have the first mobile app a few days later.
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, a third casino in Arkansas expected to offer mobile sports betting, is considered months away.
“Instead of driving to Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, or West Memphis, with this rule change you can just download an app on your phone, prove you’re 21 years old and you’re good to go,” says Scott Hardin with the Arkansas Department of Finance.
From an operator standpoint it’s not very attractive with the casino receiving 51 percent of the profits.
“The margin for the operator is really very small, so if you were cutting into that margin even more so from a market share perspective and a profit share it just creates new considerations,” says Doug Terfehr, of Maximbet.
