Arkansas Hopes for Online Casinos Die in 2025
Hopes for online casinos in Arkansas took a big hit when Representative Matt Duffield pulled the plug on House Bill 1861. As reported by SBC Americas, Duffield, the bill’s sponsor, withdrew it just before a scheduled House Judiciary Committee hearing where it was set to be hashed out.
HB 1861 Pulled Before Key Hearing
Pulling the bill buries any chance of legalizing iGaming in the state this year, leaving operators and bettors high and dry until at least the next session.
The withdrawal follows a pattern. Senator Dave Wallace had already yanked the Senate version, SB 524, a day after introducing it, pulling it from the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee’s docket.
Both bills aimed to greenlight online casino games for Arkansas’s three licensed casinos—Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, and Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis.
Now, with HB 1861 off the table, the push to expand beyond their current online sports betting offerings is dead for 2025.
What the Bill Was Packing
HB 1861 planned to let those three casinos roll out a full lineup of online games: slots, video poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker, building on their sports betting apps.
The Arkansas Racing Commission would have taken the reins, setting rules, licensing terms, and tech standards to keep it all legit.
Plus, it aimed to crack down on unlicensed sweepstakes casinos using dual-currency setups, where players swap one currency for cash or equivalents, limiting that gig to licensed operators only.
The bill had bigger goals. Carlton Saffa from Saracen Casino Resort pushed it as a way to shut down illegal offshore sites, which he says siphon off $500 million yearly from Arkansas bettors.
By bringing that cash in-state, it could’ve fueled tax revenue, maybe mirroring the 13% rate on online sports betting net proceeds, though exact figures weren’t nailed down.
Part of the lottery proceeds would’ve bankrolled Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) programs for college athletes, splitting winnings with state university sports groups. And it would’ve made running unlicensed online casinos or sportsbooks a Class D felony, putting some teeth into enforcement.
Why It’s Over for Now
Duffield’s decision to pull HB 1861 before the Judiciary Committee could even dig in shows the writing was on the wall. Wallace’s quick retreat with SB 524 hinted at shaky support early on.
While the Judiciary Committee suggested a study on iGaming for the next session, that’s cold comfort for 2025. No votes, no debates, just a quiet exit. The bill’s emergency clause, meant to fast-track it, didn’t save it either. For now, Arkansas’s iGaming dreams are stuck in neutral.
Opposition likely played a role. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort has been vocal against online gaming, arguing it could hurt their bottom line, while Saracen’s been all-in. With no solid backing across the board, casinos, lawmakers, or the governor’s office—the bills couldn’t hold up. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders hasn’t tipped her hand, but the lack of momentum suggests she wouldn’t have pushed it through anyway.
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