Huge news dropped for Arkansas sports betting on February 26, 2026, when the Arkansas Racing Commission gave a unanimous thumbs up to FanDuel and DraftKings! These giants are officially Arkansas sportsbooks now, and that’s a massive deal for the market.
The Hard Road to the Big Leagues
Listen, sports betting has been legal in Arkansas since way back in 2019, with online action kicking off in 2022. But getting the big-name operators into the state? That was a whole different game. For a long time, sportsbooks were super limited for residents. Why? Because of a wild revenue split rule that made third-party operators hand over more than half their revenue to an in-state partner. Yeah, you read that right, 51% of the money going to the local guys, and only 49% left for the big operators. The Arkansas Racing Commission approved that 51% rule on December 30, 2021, and the Arkansas Legislative Council finalized it on February 22, 2022. That kind of split caused some real apprehension in the industry, keeping some major players on the sidelines. We saw Southland Casino launch Betly in March 2022, Saracen Casino’s BETSaracen app go live in May 2022, and Oaklawn Sports mobile app follow in August 2022, but the market was still waiting for the heavy hitters.
Giants Are In, and the Market Is Exploding
But guess what? DraftKings and FanDuel finally accepted that 51% split! DraftKings hooked up with Southland Casino Hotel, and FanDuel partnered with Oaklawn Casino to take over their Arkansas apps. That means these two massive platforms are now officially live in Arkansas, having launched their sports betting operations on March 20, 2026. Think about that for a second: the apprehension about that revenue split was real, but the lure of the Arkansas market was strong enough for them to bite! The numbers don’t lie, either. By September 24, 2024, Arkansas sportsbooks had already cleared a staggering **$1 billion** in total handle. That’s a serious chunk of change, even before these titans fully entered the arena. Plus, new users can snag a sweet deal: FanDuel Arkansas is offering $350 in bonus bets if you just bet $5 for seven days. Seriously, that’s a solid way to jump in!
So, what’s next? With DraftKings and FanDuel finally in the mix, sports betting in Arkansas just got a huge upgrade for fans. Expect more action, more options, and a whole lot more excitement in the days to come. This is only the beginning!
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.
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