An overview of the best platforms you can join and the legality of sweepstakes platforms.
Although sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area that distinguishes and enhances the legitimacy of sweepstakes casinos from traditional online casinos, sweepstakes casinos still operate under a set of rules. This section will delve into the regulations governing Arkansas sweepstakes casinos and show you how these differ from laws in other US states.
Arkansas is not the best US state for online gambling, even though it does allow brick-and-mortar gambling establishments such as Oaklawn Hot Springs, Starlight Haven Hot Springs, Saracen Casino Resort, and Southland Casino Hotel. In fact, traditional online gambling platforms are strictly prohibited by the 2019 Arkansas Code (Title 5, Chapter 66).
However, the Arkansas sweepstakes gambling scene exists without problems because sweepstakes casinos offer free participation. Such sites and platforms are legal as long as they follow the basic rules in place in most other US states – age requirement for participating players, full disclosure of laws and regulations, and free play mode.
Not all sweepstakes casinos follow the rules, though, making them illegal in Arkansas, e.g. Games.Skillz and b spot, as they don’t provide a free-to-play mode.
While many US states have a strict ban on traditional online gambling, sweepstakes casinos fall through the cracks due to the way they operate and the free to play mode they offer. With the exception of Washington, Idaho and Nevada, they are legal in all US states.
This allows these sites to thrive because Arkansas doesn’t have the same stringent gambling laws regulating traditional gambling platforms. That’s why Mississippi, for example, is a great place to go if you’re looking to bet on sports. For those seeking the thrill of online sports betting, Tennessee is another neighboring state.
In Arkansas, online gaming is strictly prohibited by state law, which only allows horse racing and dog racing. However, the Code of Arkansas allows sweepstakes websites to operate in the state, and the Arkansas Racing Commission regulates such websites.
These are some of the most significant regulations:
Despite Arkansas’ strict online gambling laws, which regulate traditional real-money online casinos, sweepstakes websites can operate in Arkansas with only a few restrictions that apply to most other US states.
Although sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area that distinguishes and enhances the legitimacy of sweepstakes casinos from traditional online casinos, sweepstakes casinos still operate under a set of rules. This section will delve into the regulations governing Arkansas sweepstakes casinos and show you how these differ from laws in other US states.
Arkansas is not the best US state for online gambling, even though it does allow brick-and-mortar gambling establishments such as Oaklawn Hot Springs, Starlight Haven Hot Springs, Saracen Casino Resort, and Southland Casino Hotel. In fact, traditional online gambling platforms are strictly prohibited by the 2019 Arkansas Code (Title 5, Chapter 66).
However, the Arkansas sweepstakes gambling scene exists without problems because sweepstakes casinos offer free participation. Such sites and platforms are legal as long as they follow the basic rules in place in most other US states – age requirement for participating players, full disclosure of laws and regulations, and free play mode.
Not all sweepstakes casinos follow the rules, though, making them illegal in Arkansas, e.g. Games.Skillz and b spot, as they don’t provide a free-to-play mode.
While many US states have a strict ban on traditional online gambling, sweepstakes casinos fall through the cracks due to the way they operate and the free to play mode they offer. With the exception of Washington, Idaho and Nevada, they are legal in all US states.
This allows these sites to thrive because Arkansas doesn’t have the same stringent gambling laws regulating traditional gambling platforms. That’s why Mississippi, for example, is a great place to go if you’re looking to bet on sports. For those seeking the thrill of online sports betting, Tennessee is another neighboring state.
In Arkansas, online gaming is strictly prohibited by state law, which only allows horse racing and dog racing. However, the Code of Arkansas allows sweepstakes websites to operate in the state, and the Arkansas Racing Commission regulates such websites.
These are some of the most significant regulations:
Like most sweepstakes casinos in the US, the ones legal in Arkansas often focus on slot-based titles. There are, of course, a few other types of casino games on these websites, including table games like blackjack, roulette, or poker. Crash and fish games are also often present.
However, it’s worth mentioning that since Arkansas’s regulations strictly prohibit traditional online gambling, you’re unlikely to find live-dealer titles in sweepstakes casinos legal in Arkansas.
In most sweepstakes platforms, the primary focus has shifted to sweepstakes slots games, which have gained incredible popularity in recent years, with multiple variations like progressive jackpots or five-reeled pokies. All five of the abovementioned sweepstakes platforms include such games, while websites like Gambino Slots are excellent alternatives as they exclusively focus on them.
If paylines or mechanical reels aren’t your cup of tea, you might find fish games far more interesting. These shooting-themed games take you underwater to shoot as many fish as possible.
You control a gun where each bullet is a small bet, and you can change ammunition type depending on the fish you’re trying to catch. Whether you shoot small fish swarms or aim for the big ones, you’ll have hours of fun and win tremendous prizes.
Sweepstakes casinos also often include table games, and online poker is one of the most widely known types. It’s a game where players wager bets over whose hand is best according to the game’s rules. Variations include Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi, Badugi, etc., but most sweepstakes platforms only have the first type, and Arkansas sweepstakes casinos are no exception.
Arguably one of the world’s most widely played casino banking games, blackjack is a standard occurrence in most casinos, with sweepstakes platforms being no exception.
It’s played with a 52-card set, each card having a particular value. To win, players must have a higher value than the dealer without going over 21. Standard variants include European and American Blackjack, often available on Arkansas sweepstakes platforms.
Roulette is one of the most played table games in any casino type. In each round, players can select the bet size and place it on one of the 37 or 38 (European vs. American variants) numbers or a handful of other options like “1 to 18” or “1st 12”. After the bets are placed, the wheel will spin, and the ball will fall into one of the numbers.
Despite Arkansas’ strict online gambling laws, which regulate traditional real-money online casinos, sweepstakes websites can operate in Arkansas with only a few restrictions that apply to most other US states.
Choosing the right Arkansas sweepstakes casino can be challenging, but finding a legal and reputable platform is crucial, so we’ve included a few factors you’ll need to consider when making the choice. They include the following:
While these factors are among the crucial ones to consider before registering, other factors might also exist. For example, the casino’s reputation can say a lot about the platform, and exploring various user reviews and ratings can give you a clear idea about the site you’re about to join.
Compare Arkansas with its closest neighbor states
Some of the best sweepstakes casinos in Arkansas include Chumba, Pulsz, Fortunecoins, WOW Vegas, and High 5 Casinos, as they provide a perfect balance between legality, licensing, game variety, safety measures, payment options, and responsible gambling tools.
Yes, online sweepstakes platforms are legal in Arkansas. Unlike traditional online casinos, which are strictly prohibited in AR, sweepstakes sites offer a free play mode and don’t require any deposits for players to get started.
Yes. Users from outside Arkansas can access sweepstakes Arkansas casinos without an issue. VPNs also make this possible for users outside the USA, but this limits such players to free play and restricts deposits and withdrawals.
The legal gambling age for joining sweepstakes casino sites in Arkansas is 21, like in most other US states. However, this requirement is for casino games and sports betting, while the required age drops to 18 for lottery and horse race betting.
According to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, all gambling winnings are taxable and must be reported. They’re subject to a 3% flat tax and should be noted on the AR-OI form along with an accurate record.
Like most US-legal sweepstakes casinos, Arkansas sweepstakes platforms offer a variety of regular bonuses that entice users to join or remain on the platform. These bonuses include daily login rewards, social media promotions, on-site competitions, registration bonuses, etc.