DraftKings and FanDuel officially launched their sports betting apps in Arkansas on March 20, 2026, after getting the green light from the Arkansas Racing Commission back on February 26. This isn’t just another launch, folks, this is a massive shift. For years, the big national players largely stayed out of Arkansas, mainly because of one seriously wild rule: the 51% revenue-sharing mandate. But now? Both DraftKings and FanDuel have jumped in, reshaping the entire scene in the Natural State.
The 51% Rule That Kept Everyone Out, Until Now
Look, the biggest hurdle for Arkansas sports betting has always been that insane 51% revenue-sharing rule. Picture this: third-party operators, like the big names we know, have to hand over more than half their revenue to their in-state partner. More than half! It meant only 49% was left for the operator. Most states don’t have anything close to that kind of split, and it definitely limited who was willing to play ball in Arkansas. The Arkansas Racing Commission first approved this rule on December 30, 2021, and the Arkansas Legislative Council finalized it on February 22, 2022. It was a deal-breaker for a lot of companies. But not for these two titans. DraftKings partnered up with Southland Casino Hotel, and FanDuel teamed up with Oaklawn Casino. They accepted the split, and that, my friends, is a game-changer. It shows just how much market potential they see, even with such a tough revenue model.
A Long Road to Getting the Big Names
This wasn’t an overnight thing, not by a long shot. Arkansas has been on a journey with sports betting for a while. It all kicked off when the Supreme Court deemed PASPA unconstitutional in May 2018. Then, on November 6, 2018, Arkansas voters said “yes!” to Issue 4, which greenlit casino gaming and sports betting at licensed casinos. The very first legal bet, a $5 wager on the Dallas Cowboys, was placed at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort on July 1, 2019. Online betting got its framework in April 2021 with House Bill 1942, and by March 5, 2022, Southland Casino had launched Betly. Saracen Casino’s BETSaracen app followed on May 10, 2022, and Oaklawn Sports mobile app went live in August 2022. The state’s sportsbooks even cleared $1 billion in total handle by September 24, 2024. But honestly, the real heavyweight punch arrived on February 26, 2026, when DraftKings and FanDuel finally got their vendor licenses. This is the moment the whole landscape changed.
Right now, if you’re in Arkansas and looking to get in on the action, FanDuel is even rolling out a promo code for new users. Bet $5 for seven days and you can snag $350 in bonus bets. That’s a solid way to kick things off with the new players in town. With these two giants finally accepting the terms and setting up shop, it’s going to be fascinating to watch what happens next in Arkansas betting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply