Arkansas sports bettors finally have access to the two biggest names in the industry. DraftKings and FanDuel went live in the Natural State on March 20, 2026 — just in time for March Madness — ending years of absence from a market that had been running on regional operators since mobile wagering launched in 2022. Here is everything you need to know about the current sportsbook landscape in Arkansas, how to sign up, and what the state’s unusual revenue structure actually means for your betting experience.
Arkansas currently has several licensed mobile sportsbooks operating under the state’s casino-tethered model. Each book operates through a partnership with one of the three licensed casinos in the state.
DraftKings and FanDuel are the marquee additions. Prior to March 20, Arkansas had the lowest per capita sports betting revenue of any state with legal mobile wagering. State officials expect that to change considerably now that the two dominant national brands are live.
Arkansas has one of the most unusual sportsbook regulatory structures in the country. State law requires that any third-party operator working with an Arkansas casino must funnel at least 51% of sports betting revenue back to the casino partner. This framework is what kept DraftKings and FanDuel out of the state for years — neither company was willing to hand over the majority of their revenue to a partner.
What finally changed is how the deal is structured. Instead of functioning as true third-party operators controlling the platform, DraftKings and FanDuel are now classified as platform providers or vendors. The casinos technically control the sportsbook and retain their 51% share, while the national brands earn a fee for providing technology and odds services. It is a creative workaround, and not everyone in the state is happy with it. BetSaracen, which runs its own book without the big-brand partnership, publicly warned that this arrangement may actually reduce Arkansas tax revenue compared to casino-run operations — a concern the Arkansas Racing Commission said it will monitor going forward.
For bettors, the practical impact of this structure is minimal. You will see the DraftKings and FanDuel interfaces you know from other states, with competitive odds and the same promotions you would expect. The revenue-sharing mechanics happen behind the scenes between the company and its casino partner.
Getting started on any Arkansas sportsbook follows the same basic process. You must be at least 21 years old and physically located within Arkansas state lines when placing a bet — all apps use geolocation technology to verify this in real time. You do not need to be an Arkansas resident; visitors from out of state can bet legally as long as they are physically present in Arkansas.
To create an account, you will need to provide your full legal name, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, email address, and a valid mailing address. The identity verification process typically completes within minutes. Most sportsbooks accept deposits via credit and debit cards, PayPal, Venmo, ACH bank transfers, and Play+ prepaid cards. Minimum deposits generally start at $5 to $10 depending on the operator.
One smart move for new bettors in Arkansas is to sign up for multiple books. Each operator offers a welcome bonus for new users, and having accounts at two or three different sportsbooks lets you shop for the best odds before placing any given bet. Line shopping across DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetSaracen, for example, can meaningfully improve your returns over time.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel launched with promotional offers tied to the Arkansas Razorbacks and March Madness. Standard welcome deals in Arkansas mirror what these books offer in other states — typically a small qualifying bet that unlocks a larger bonus bet credit. Betters should always read the terms, including playthrough requirements, before claiming any offer.
Betly, which was the previous Southland partner and the first online sportsbook to launch in Arkansas back in 2022, offered some of the more aggressive deposit match bonuses for players who had been with the platform. With DraftKings now taking over that footprint at Southland, those existing Betly accounts at that casino location are no longer active.
A few Arkansas-specific restrictions are worth knowing before you place your first bet. The state prohibits wagering on individual college player proposition bets — so while you can bet on game outcomes, spreads, and totals for college games, you cannot bet on individual player stats in college contests. Bets on Arkansas high school team games are also prohibited.
Anyone with inside information about a sporting event — including athletes, coaches, referees, and team staff — is explicitly barred from betting on their sport under Arkansas law. This restriction aligns with federal and league-level rules and has become particularly relevant given recent NBA gambling investigations.
Like every state with legal sports betting, Arkansas requires bettors to report gambling winnings as taxable income. At the state level, Arkansas applies a flat income tax rate of 3% on gambling winnings. Federal taxes apply on top of that at your standard income tax rate. Sportsbooks are required to issue a W-2G form for any single winning bet of $600 or more that pays out at least 300 times the original wager. Even without receiving a W-2G, you are legally required to report all gambling income on your federal return. Keeping a detailed record of your bets — wins and losses — throughout the year makes tax time significantly easier and allows you to deduct losses up to the amount of your reported winnings if you itemize.
The arrival of DraftKings and FanDuel is expected to fundamentally reshape the Arkansas betting market. The state had consistently ranked last in per capita wagering revenue among mobile betting states, a direct result of the major national brands being absent. Whether the 51% revenue structure ultimately delivers more tax revenue for Arkansas — or whether BetSaracen’s concerns prove justified — will become clear in the months ahead as the Arkansas Racing Commission tracks post-launch data.
For bettors, the bottom line is straightforward: Arkansas now has a competitive, multi-book market with the tools and promotions you would find anywhere else in the country. If you have been waiting for the big books to arrive in the Natural State, the wait is over.
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