Arkansas Online Poker Rooms
Is Poker Legal In Arkansas
Poker is legal in Arkansas and has been since Amendment 100 passed in 2018. The amendment authorized four licensed casinos to offer live poker and other forms of casino gaming, although one casino (Legends Casino Resort) is under construction and the other two (Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, Southland Casino Racing) don’t have dedicated poker rooms, leaving Saracen Casino Resort as the only live poker room in Arkansas.
The definition of “casino gaming” provided in Amendment 100 clearly includes poker. ““Casino gaming” as dealing, operating, carrying on, conducting, maintaining, or exposing for play any game played with cards, dice, equipment, or any mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic device or machine for money, property, checks, credit, or any representative value, as well as accepting wagers on sporting events; providing that individuals under 21 are prohibited from engaging in casino gaming;”
Although there aren’t any state-regulated options yet, online poker is legal in Arkansas with internationally-regulated options. The Arkansas Code of Laws doesn’t specifically address online poker, allowing Ignition and other online poker sites to take Arkansas players since they operate outside of U.S. jurisdiction.
What Is The Legal Poker Age In Arkansas
The Arkansas legal poker age is 21+ for in-person poker rooms and casino gaming but 18+ for lottery, horse racing, and bingo. Since online poker isn’t regulated, there is no legal age requirement that’s enforced by the state.
All three of the best online poker sites that accept Arkansas players have an 18+ age requirement. They can offer a lower poker age requirement since they fall under the purview of international regulation rather than state regulation.
Live Poker Rooms In Arkansas
Saracen Casino Resort – Poker Room
- Address: 1 Saracen Resort Dr, Pine Bluff, AR 71601
- Phone: (870) 686-9001
- Website: Address: 1 Saracen Resort Dr, Pine Bluff, AR 71601
- Phone: (870) 686-9001
- Website: https://www.saracenresort.com
- Saracen Poker Room Information: Only live poker room in Arkansas. Has 10 electronic poker tables for No Limit Hold’em and occasional Omaha variants. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday but open from 12 PM – 4 AM on Monday and Thursday, with weekend games going from 10 AM until the last game breaks.
Southland Casino Racing
- Address: 1550 N Ingram Blvd, West Memphis, AR 72301
- Phone: (870) 735-3670
- Website: https://www.southlandcasino.com
- Southland Poker Room Information: Massive casino floor but no dedicated poker room. Has 50 live table games that feature poker variants like Three-Card Poker, Louisiana Stud, and Jackpot Hold’em.
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
- Address: 2705 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901
- Phone: (501) 623-4411
- Website: https://oaklawn.com/casino/table-games/
- Oaklawn Poker Information: No dedicated poker room but has Ultimate Texas Hold’em and Three-Card Poker table games. Poker table games at Oaklawn are available from 10 AM – 4 AM Sunday-Thursday and 10 AM – 6 AM on Friday and Saturday. Offers 30 live table games so poker is always available.
Closest Live Poker Rooms
While the number of poker rooms in Arkansas are limited to just one, there are out-of-state poker rooms for residents to rely on. There are plenty of poker rooms in Oklahoma that are closer for northwest Arkansas residents and poker rooms in Mississippi offer appeal for eastern Arkansas players.
Downstream Casino Resort
- Address: 69300 East Nee Road Quapaw, OK 74363
- Phone Number: (918) 919-6000
- Website: https://downstreamcasino.com/play/poker
- Downstream Poker Room Information: Closest poker room to Fayetteville at just 70 miles compared to 220 miles from Saracen. This Oklahoma poker room offers live dealers and physical cards, unlike the electronic poker rooms in Arkansas. Has Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, and more poker variations with different bad beat jackpots.
Horseshoe Casino Tunica
- Address: 1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS 38664
- Phone Number: (800) 303-7463
- Website: https://www.caesars.com/horseshoe-tunica/casino/poker-room
- Horseshoe Tunica Poker Room Information: Has a World Series of Poker (WSOP) lounge and hosts annual WSOP poker tournaments. Still offers a player-friendly poker experience with multiple daily tournaments, such as the $10,000 guaranteed No Limit Hold’em tournament every Saturday with a $165 buy-in cost.
Frequently Asked Questions On How To Play Poker In Arkansas (FAQs)
Can You Play Poker At Home For Money
Unlike other states with poker that allow for home games, Arkansas law doesn’t offer any kind of social game exemption. Arkansas Code Section 35, § 5-66-112 states that “If any a person bets any money or any valuable thing on any game of brag, bluff, poker, seven-up, three-up, twenty-one, vingt-et-un, thirteen cards, the odd trick, forty-five, whist, or at any other game of cards, known by any name now known to the law, or with any other or new name or without any name, upon conviction he or she is guilty of a violation and shall be fined in any sum not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).”
Other states have similar legislation but follow with exemptions for games played at a private residence and they’re permitted so long as a rake isn’t collected. You can still play real money poker at home with Arkansas online poker sites that offer daily poker tournaments and 24/7 cash games for Texas Hold’em and Omaha.
Is Ignition Poker Legal In Arkansas
Ignition Poker is legal in Arkansas and there are no state poker laws preventing them from operating in the state. Ignition has accepted online poker players from Arkansas for over a decade and none of them have faces any legal prosecution.
Play in exciting poker tournaments like the Mystery Knockout tournament where prizes are awarded for eliminating players. Be careful though, as the more players you knockout, the higher the “Mystery Bounty” prize on your head grows.
Can I Play On PokerStars In Arkansas
Poker players can’t access PokerStars in Arkansas since they’re only available in three states (PA, NJ, MI). Arkansas doesn’t have the legislation in place to partner with state-regulated poker operators, limiting PokerStars to the states in their jurisdiction.
Is Bovada Legal In Arkansas
Bovada is internationally-licensed and regulated for online poker but Arkansas players have never been in legal trouble for playing there. Bovada offers live poker tournaments for Omaha poker and Texas Hold’em at varying limits.
Every Sunday at Bovada features the $200,000 Weekly Guaranteed Tournament and a $100,000 guaranteed High Roller tournament. Players can buy-in to these tournaments directly or win their way in through qualifier tournaments.
Is BetOnline Poker Available in Arkansas
BetOnline is another reliable online poker site that takes Arkansas players for real money cash games and tournaments. New players at BetOnline get up to $1,000 in poker bonus funds and eight days of free tournament tickets.
The tournament tickets (21 in total) from their poker welcome package are step satellites for players to progress and qualify for the Sunday Showdown Mega Satellite tournament. The top 50 players earn a spot in the $100,000 Sunday Showdown worth $109, so the tickets are a free chance to play your way into one of the biggest weekly poker tournaments available.