Data shows that sports betting in Arkansas reached a new historical high in October.
According to data from the Department of Finance and Administration, in October, the sports betting amount at the state's three casinos was about $60 million. This made October the month with the highest betting amount since the legalization of sports betting in the state in 2018.
Since its legalization last year, mobile sports betting has impacted the tax revenue of Arkansas
In November 2018, when voters approved casino gambling, Arkansas approved sports betting, but only within casinos.
In early 2022, the Arkansas Racing Commission approved a rule change that allowed casinos to accept bets via mobile apps. Arkansas sports betting set a new revenue record in 2023, already surpassing 2022
DFA spokesperson Scott Hardin said that the rule change in 2022 had a significant impact on sports betting revenue.
"In the initial years of the development of the casino gambling industry in Arkansas, sports betting never accounted for a large part of the casino's revenue," he said. "Now, this situation is changing.
From another perspective, the total legal sports betting amount in 2022 was $186 million. With two months left in 2023, our total sports betting amount has already reached about $300 million."
Hardin said that now, most sports betting is conducted through mobile apps provided by the three licensed casinos in Arkansas.
