In Pope County the Arkansas Racing Commission licensed Cherokee Nation Business to build the Legends Resort Casino Arkansas, after the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected the commission's original licensing of Gulfside Partners.
The Arkansas Racing Commission accepted applications for both locations and licensed the Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma to build the Saracen Casino in Jefferson County. The two remaining casino licenses were designated for new casinos in Jefferson and Pope Counties. The first two casinos opened Apat Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs and Southland Gaming & Racing in West Memphis. The amendment gave the Arkansas Racing Commission the authority to license and regulate casino gambling in four locations. In November 2018 Arkansas voters approved a constitutional amendment to allow casinos for the first time.
Before 2019 asino gambling was illegal in Arkansas. Two of the operating casinos are located at racetracks, one is owned and operated by a Native American tribe, and the fourth is delayed by an invalid selection process conducted by the the Arkansas Racing Commission. Arkansas Casinos Arkansas Casinos | Updates 2023Īrkansas has three state-licensed casinos and a fourth one pending.
