Arkansas Casinos Report $189.1M Win Amid Mobile Betting Surge

Arkansas’ three casinos recorded a combined net win of about $189.1 million during the second quarter of 2026, a 2.8% increase from the $184.23 million reported during the same period last year. The April-to-June results came as mobile sports betting entered a new phase following the arrival of major national operators.

Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Southland in West Memphis and Saracen in Pine Bluff remain the state’s three commercial casinos under Arkansas’ constitutional framework. Terminal gaming, including slot machines and video poker, continued to provide most casino revenue during the quarter.

National Sportsbooks Reshape Mobile Wagering

The second quarter represented the first complete three-month period after FanDuel and DraftKings entered Arkansas’ mobile betting market. FanDuel launched with Oaklawn and DraftKings partnered with Southland in late March.

Their arrival helped push the amount wagered through mobile platforms up by 98% from the second quarter of 2025. Despite the substantial increase in handle, however, the casinos collectively won nearly 50% less from mobile sports betting than they did a year earlier.

Promotional activity helps explain the difference. Free bets, boosted odds and sign-up offers can attract substantial wagering while reducing short-term taxable revenue. Handle measures the total amount wagered, whereas revenue reflects what operators retain after paying winning bets and accounting for promotional costs.

The market therefore experienced a sharp increase in betting activity without an equivalent rise in mobile revenue. FanDuel and DraftKings remained in the early stages of establishing their customer bases, while Saracen continued operating its BetSaracen platform without a national partner.

Traditional Casino Play Remains Dominant

Despite changes in mobile wagering, all three casinos performed well overall during the quarter. Terminal games remained the primary source of casino revenue, reinforcing the importance of traditional gambling to Arkansas’ market.

Arkansas combines casino gaming and sports betting within a taxable measure called net gaming receipts. That structure means sports betting activity can influence overall results, while promotional expenses can also affect taxable receipts.

The market’s concentration makes individual operator changes particularly significant. Arkansas has only three commercial casino properties, so shifts in customer activity or spending by one or two operators can produce noticeable changes in statewide monthly figures.

June provided an example of that volatility. Combined taxable gaming revenue reached approximately $12.59 million for the month, around 4.8% below June 2025. The decline did not offset the quarter’s overall increase, but it showed how results can move as operators compete and adjust promotional spending.

Market Growth Remains Measured

Arkansas taxes the first tier of gaming revenue at 13%, providing the state with a continuing source of gaming-related revenue. The Q2 figures indicate that the market remains relatively small while becoming increasingly active through mobile wagering.

The longer-term effect of FanDuel and DraftKings will depend partly on whether promotional spending declines and whether additional mobile activity produces new customers rather than shifting existing bettors between platforms.

For now, traditional casino gaming continues to anchor Arkansas’ gambling market. Mobile betting has added significant wagering volume and competition, while its immediate effect on casino revenue has been less pronounced.