Arkansas – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations
Online Casinos in Arkansas (US)
Find the Best Arkansas Casino Online
With frustrating and misleading language used in the laws regarding gaming in the state of Arkansas, players will be forced to search for offshore online gambling sites to partake in their favorite games. Note that there are few legal gambling venues in the state – another reason for players to cast their nets beyond their borders.
Now, finding an online casino is not the main problem here. The issue lies in finding a legitimate and trustworthy operator. But that is only a problem for beginners in the iGaming industry. Even so, GoodLuckMate is here to hold your hand and guide you along the way. We work tirelessly behind the scenes to review and test various operators using pre-developed criteria. Here’s what we look at when curating the list of casinos for players from Arkansas:
- Does the operator have a valid license from a reputable regulatory authority?
- Is English the main language on the website?
- What type of games does the casino offer?
- Does the casino have a variety of payment options suitable for Arkansas players?
- What customer support options are available?
- Are players from Arkansas allowed to claim welcome offers and ongoing promotions?
Apart from the questions listed above, GoodLuckMate’s experts look at other crucial aspects of online casinos to ensure players understand the pros and cons of the operator. These expert reviewers have plenty of experience in the industry and that means the casinos recommended by them are trustworthy and legitimate. You can scroll through the list of top casinos and choose the operator you feel is suitable for you. Afterward, all you need to do is sign-up and play!
Gambling Regulation
To a large extent, gambling is illegal in Arkansas. However, the law is not clear when it comes to the definition of gambling, thereby leaving the interpretation of the law wide open. As per the law, any game of chance where you can win money is deemed as gambling but then there are exceptions made. For instance, it’s legal to engage in pari-mutuel betting as well as charitable games such as raffles and bingo. Other exceptions in this state are the two land-based casinos that host plenty of gambling options including slot machines, poker tables, and table games.
Keep in mind, however, that Arkansas doesn’t have a designated regulatory authority – instead, the state laws take over that function. Still, the state doesn’t have a definite law prohibiting or legalizing online gambling. The gray area created as a result of this ambiguity means players can explore offshore sites but at their own risk because the general law could be applied, although that has yet to happen.
Localized Online Casinos
There are few localized online casinos in Arkansas. To be precise, there are two operators and these are extensions of the already available brick and mortar establishments. Since these online platforms are extensions, they become advantageous to the casino and players since the punters will have a feeling of what to expect when they walk into a land-based establishment.
As a result of having very few localized operators, punters are forced to seek alternatives from offshore platforms to enjoy their favorite casino games. With that said, it’s important to find convenient operators in terms of payment options, site language, and localized bonuses.
In this case, the US has numerous homegrown operators that would serve punters from Arkansas by offering convenient payment methods such as eWallets, cryptocurrencies, bank transfers, and major credit/debit cards. Furthermore, players can claim various bonuses and promotions including welcome packages that feature cash bonuses, and/or free spins.
Many online casinos in the US use English as the main language on the site. Even non-US-facing sites offer their services in English and that includes customer support. Therefore, players from Arkansas can rest easy knowing they can get support should they need it.
Gambling with US Dollars
Many online operators based in the US accept the US dollar since it's the main currency used not only in the US but also across the globe. Therefore, punters from Arkansas can expect a smooth gambling experience, considering there'll be no need to go through lengthy and/or expensive conversion processes.
In addition to the US dollar, players from Arkansas will find operators that accept the euro since many offshore casinos are actually based in Europe. Of course, you don't expect to find 20 to 30 supported currencies, but most US players are well serviced in this respect.
Casinos in Arkansas
It should be noted that Arkansas isn’t the friendliest when it comes to gambling in general. That is evident when it comes to the number of brick and mortar gambling venues available in the state. The two casinos are Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and Southland Casino Racing. While these are racinos, players can still find most of the regular casino games. For instance, you will find slots, craps, roulette, blackjack, and live poker.
When it comes to online gambling, the options are just as limited as the land-based counterparts. Apart from the websites offered by the two land-based casinos, Arkansas doesn’t have homegrown online gambling platforms. Since there’s no explicit law that prohibits online gambling in Arkansas, players are forced to look for offshore platforms.
Having said that, players must tread with extreme caution when gambling at offshore platforms. One, because there’s no law that expressly legalizes online gambling and while there may be no person arrested or charged with any offense related to online betting, the general can be flipped against you. Two, because there are plenty of predatory sites lurking online that will leave you in their mercies should a dispute arise. That’s why you should use GoodLuckMate’s list of recommended casinos. However, remember, that you will be gambling at your own risk!
Dispute resolution – can I get help from a third party?
A gambling license is intended to protect players, and one of its main functions is to provide a mechanism for resolving disputes when they come up. If you have a dispute with a casino, and the casino is being unreasonable, the gambling authority will help you. For many licenses, this means you can contact the gambling authority to get help processing your withdrawals, claiming money the casino has debited from your account, or resolving other disputes that might arise. The likelihood that the gambling authority will help you in ways that are effective, however, depends on the procedures they have in place for this. This is yet another reason why choosing to play at a casino that has a safe license is important.
Getting help directly from the gambling authority is not always necessary, or even an option. A lot of regulators have now enforced third-party dispute resolution. This means casinos must have an agreement with an arbitrator who will look into disputes on the behalf of players from a particular casino. This ensures your dispute will be reviewed by an objective third party. All trusted online casinos have information about arbitration on their websites if they use this option, or they’ll have the contact information for the gambling authority you should consult. However, you should always try to resolve your issues with the casino first, and a lot of casinos have separate email addresses specifically for handling complaints.
Secure payments – can I trust a casino with my money?
If you’re worried about the security of the transactions you’re making at a casino, you should look for a logo with the acronym PCI DSS. This stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, and this is something the payment industry has created. If you see this logo, it means the casino can be trusted for safe money transactions since they follow all of the rules set by the payment industry. Information about this can also be found in an FAQ section on the casino’s website.
Another thing to look out for in terms of payments is where your money is kept while you play. Some gambling authorities, all of the best ones actually, regulate what the casino can do with your money while they are holding it. Your money shouldn’t go into a general bank account held by the casino; it should go into an account that is strictly for holding player funds. This means that as long as you have the money in your player account, it can’t be spent by the casino. Your deposit will be kept separate from the operating funds of the casino until your player account is empty, which will happen if you make a funds withdrawal or if you lose the money while playing.Fair gaming – do the games give me a fair chance to win?
The best known system tool for ensuring that a casino offers fair games is eCogra; however, there are other providers that also offer these kinds of systems. You want to make sure that the casino is using a certified third-party control system to ensure that the games of chance you’re playing are actually based on chance and not on other types of metrics. Rigged games are ones that have been set up to pay out less than they claim to or ones that give some players a greater chance of winning than others.
The eCogra logo can often be found in the footer of the casino’s website, but not all casinos choose to display it. If you can’t see this logo, go to the FAQs and see if you can find information about random number generators. If there are no FAQs on the site, check out their terms and conditions or contact the casino’s support and ask how they ensure their games are safe.
Encrypted website – how is my information kept safe?
An SSL-encrypted website should be mandatory for any casino, and very few casinos operate without this or similar safe encryption features. Always keep in mind that you are giving the casino quite a bit of sensitive information, including your payment details. When you’re uploading and sending documents to verify your identity, you want to make sure that no unauthorized third-party has access to them. Site security, therefore, doesn’t only include the website itself but also what the casino does on the backend. You should always look into a casino’s data security. You’ll normally find information about this in their terms and conditions and their privacy policy. If in doubt, contact their support and ask for more detailed information.
Most trustworthy casinos have information about site security in the website footer, so simply scroll down and look for the logo of a well-known security system.
Gambling license – can I play at a casino from my country?
The gambling license a casino operates under will have a big impact on your security. Not all licenses are equally safe for players for the simple reason that they are issued by different gambling authorities that work in different ways and have different rules. The rules and regulations may be quite similar, but the way they are enforced is a different story entirely. For example, if a casino doesn’t comply with the regulations, some gambling authorities may just issue a fine while others may revoke the casino’s license outright. How often gambling authorities show up for an unscheduled inspection or control will also vary.
The biggest differences between a safe, high quality gambling license and one that isn’t as good will usually show up in the areas of fair gaming, dispute resolution and the rules and systems for identifying and handling problem gamblers (responsible gambling). If your country of residence has its own gambling authority, playing at casinos that are licensed by them will be the safest option for you. Other international licenses that can be trusted are issued by the Malta Gambling Authority and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. Curacao eGaming is getting better at protecting players whereas licenses from Panama and Costa Rica, for instance, are considered less safe. The worst option is obviously a casino with no license whatsoever.
Our casino experts have tried and tested all aspects of each and every casino, so you can feel confident when signing up.
