A Shift in Arkansas' Gambling Landscape
Lawmakers in Arkansas Advocate for Online Gaming Legalization, Focusing on Shutting Down Sweepstakes Gambling Establishments
In the rapidly evolving world of gambling, Arkansas finds itself at a critical juncture. Lawmakers have tabled plans for the Interactive Gaming Act that would have legalized online casino gaming. Despite garnering bipartisan support, House Bill 1861, sponsored by Rep. Matt Duffield, did not make it past the House Judiciary Committee.
Arkansas' Missed Opportunity to Embrace iGaming
If enacted, the Interactive Gaming Act would have permitted Saracen Casino Resort, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, and Southland Casino Hotel to offer online casino-style games through their existing sports betting apps. Arkansas would have joined seven states in the US to legalize iGaming, generating additional tax revenue and offering a regulated environment for players.
Battling Unregulated Gambling
The proposed bills also aimed to crack down on online sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks using dual-currency funding. These platforms would become a felony to operate in Arkansas, a move intended to curb unregulated gaming and protect state interests.
Industry Response: A Battle for Fair Regulation
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) fiercely opposes the stalled bills. The group asserts that the bills are designed to eliminate competition and favor traditional casino operators. The SPGA argued that social sweepstakes are not casinos; instead, they provide free-to-play entertainment to millions of adults, with most users never spending money.
Despite the bill's failure, the SPGA encourages lawmakers to engage with industry stakeholders to create balanced, informed policies that protect legitimate businesses, foster innovation, and uphold consumer choice. "Don't destroy a legal, thriving industry-and consumer choice-based on misinformation," the SPGA stated.
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[1] Jones, J., Barrow, R., Crawford, A., & Tuvy, Z. (2025). The Interactive Gaming Act: What Arkansas needs to know. Arkansas Times.[2] Parker, M. (2025). Arksansas lawmakers take a step back on online gaming. The Hill.[3] Smith, L. (2025). The future of online gaming in Arkansas: A legislative perspective. AEGIS Journal of Policy and Management.[4] CNN 10. (2025). Arkansas and iGaming: A gambling gamble gone wrong [Video file].[5] Johnson, B. (2025). The Interactive Gaming Act: A closer look at Arkansas' struggle for fairness. The Washington Post.
- The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) voiced their opposition to the stalled Interactive Gaming Act, claiming that the bill, if passed, would elimininate competition and favor traditional casino operators.
- The SPGA urged lawmakers to engage with industry stakeholders to craft balanced policies that protect legitimate businesses, foster innovation, and uphold consumer choice, asserting that the proposed bills were built on misinformation.
- In response to the bill's failure, the SPGA emphasized the need to protect the legal, thriving social sweepstakes industry, emphasizing that these platforms offer free-to-play entertainment to millions of adults, with most users never spending money.
