Lawmakers in Arkansas have introduced two bipartisan bills that would legalize online casinos and ban unlicensed sweepstakes platforms. If passed, the bills would reshape the state’s online gambling landscape, and send a strong message to gray-area operators.
Filed on Wednesday, SB524 and HB1861 are companion bills backed by 14 legislators across party lines. State Senator Dave Wallace and Representative Matt Duffield are leading the efforts in the Senate and House, respectively. The bills are now headed to committee, with the legislative session set to close on April 11.
If passed, the legislation would position Arkansas among a growing number of states expanding legal iGaming access, while also moving swiftly to cut off platforms operating in legal gray zones.
iGaming Framework Built Around Existing Casinos
The bills would allow Arkansas’s three licensed casinos, Saracen, Oaklawn, and Southland, to offer online casino gaming. These same casinos already run legal sportsbooks under their own brands, and this proposal would expand their offerings.
Under the proposed “Interactive Gaming Act,”, each casino would get one iGaming license in addition to their sportsbook license, to be regulated and overseen by the Arkansas Racing Commission. The tax and licensing fees haven’t been set yet, but supporters say the groundwork is already in motion. Saracen Casino Resort, for example, has previously requested iGaming approval from the state.
Sweepstakes Language Aims to Shut Down Unlicensed Platforms
Alongside legalizing iGaming, the bills also target unlicensed sweepstakes casinos, platforms that use virtual currencies to simulate gambling without regulation. Under the proposal, any site that allows players to buy credits and redeem them for cash or prizes would be considered illegal unless it’s licensed.
Licensed casinos could continue offering sweepstakes games under state oversight, while social games without redeemable rewards would also remain exempted.
Violations wouldn’t be taken lightly: any operator caught running an unlicensed online casino, sportsbook, or sweepstakes site would be classified as a felony under Arkansas law.
Lawmakers Say the Bills Are ‘Immediately Necessary’
Supporters of the legislation aren’t waiting around. Both SB524 and HB1861 include an emergency clause that declares the changes are “immediately necessary” to protect Arkansas residents and boost the state’s economy.
According to the bill language, “unlicensed, unregulated, and untaxed casino-style and sports wagering offerings are an ever-growing threat to the citizens of Arkansas.” The legislation also suggests that legalized iGaming could provide new revenue streams to support public programs, specifically higher education and student-athlete initiatives.
“This act is immediately necessary to ensure that institutions of higher education and their affiliated nonprofit organizations can financially support their student-athletes,” the bill states.
If both chambers approve the proposals, they won’t require the governor’s signature to become law. Unless vetoed, or if a veto is overridden, the bills would automatically take effect.
Arkansas Joins a National Movement
Arkansas’s proposal comes at a time when several states are moving to modernize online gambling laws and close loopholes that have been exploited by sweepstakes casinos.
Maryland and Connecticut have already issued cease-and-desist orders to major platforms. Mississippi and New Jersey are advancing bills that would ban or restrict dual-currency gaming models. In some cases, lawmakers are even targeting third-party service providers, like affiliates, developers and even payment processors that help these platforms operate.
By linking iGaming legalization with sweepstakes enforcement, Arkansas is following a national trend: legalize the real-money market, and shut down what falls outside it.
Whether the bills move forward before the April 11 session deadline remains uncertain. But with bipartisan support and a declared sense of urgency, the momentum behind them is hard to ignore.