Esports betting in Arkansas remains unregulated in 2025. With the state legalizing traditional sports betting in recent years, attention is gradually shifting to digital markets like esports, daily fantasy, and mobile betting. While you can’t legally bet on esports at local sportsbooks just yet, there are reputable international betting sites that accept Arkansas residents.
The most popular esports to bet on in the US include League of Legends, CS:GO, Dota 2, Valorant, and Call of Duty. These sites offer generous bonuses, fast payouts, and secure payment options – even if they aren’t regulated at a state level.
Top Arkansas esports betting sites
Terms & Conditions Apply. Visit BetOnline for more information.
Introducing Arkansas esports betting
In the past, the state of Arkansas was heavily perceived as an anti-gambling state as they were very few forms of gambling, and as such was almost tagged as illegal. There was no actual form of gaming. What they had was predominantly the state-owned lottery, some bingo halls, and two Racinos that offered a pressed poker product which is sort of an imitation. These were enabled by the Electronic Games of Skill Act of 2005.
The Natural State in November 2018 legalized sports betting, as voters secured a 55% pass rate at their mid-term ballot. The residents of Arkansas felt it was time for the state to follow in line with the agenda of the whole country and become a pro-gambling state. With sports betting being alive and kicking in Arkansas since 2018, its gambling scene is limited to land-based offerings only, with daily fantasy sports and live poker also permitted. Casino games are tagged as illegal, either online or in retail walk-ins. However, you are expected to be at least 21 years of age to participate in sports betting in the state of Arkansas. The sports betting regulations are meant to guide both licensed Racinos and two future casinos, with room for more gambling laws in the nearest future possible.
Esports betting, on the other hand, is yet to be legalized in Arkansas as progress has been quite slow compared to their counterparts – New Jersey, Colorado, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada, and West Virginia, who have all legalized esports betting in their states, with Nevada being the first state to legalize esports betting. The state of Arkansas has not termed esports betting as illegal, either have they banned it, as they are yet to make sound clarifications on their stance on it.
The legalization of sports betting is expected to open up more conversations as regards the legalization of online sports betting, esports betting, and online casino gambling in no distant time. But for now, the residents of Arkansas can only place bets at any of the state’s land-based outfits or utilize the many offshore sports betting sites available.
Best esports betting sites in Arkansas for July, 2025
Online betting is not yet acceptable in Arkansas, and it is illegal for an unlicensed entity to accept sports bets, as such only walk-ins are allowed or the use of offshore online sports betting sites.
These sites offer comprehensive coverage of games like Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, and Overwatch, with multiple bet types and daily promotions. Top picks for Arkansas esports fans include:
GG.Bet
A global esports-first bookmaker with huge market depth, live esports streams, and crypto payments.
1xBet
Known for competitive odds and supporting USD banking methods, including cards and crypto.
BetOnline
US-friendly sportsbook with a strong esports section and native mobile site.
Arkansas esports betting laws & regulation
Arkansas legalized retail sports betting in 2018 following a statewide referendum (Issue 4). While three land-based casinos operate legal sportsbooks, the state has yet to clarify its position on esports betting. As of 2025:
- Esports is not yet classified as a sport under Arkansas law.
- Online and mobile sports betting remain limited, with no state-regulated apps currently available.
Arkansas residents cannot wager on collegiate games involving in-state schools, and all sports betting requires participants to be 21+
Best mobile esports betting apps in Arkansas
There are currently no state-regulated mobile esports betting apps in Arkansas. However, international sportsbooks offer fully optimized mobile websites and Android/iOS apps that can be accessed freely from within the state.
To download these apps:
- Android users can sideload APKs directly from bookmaker websites.
- Apple users may face restrictions, as US state laws often impact App Store listings.
All top offshore sportsbooks support mobile play, offering full access to esports markets, live betting, and account management.
Payment options at Arkansas Betting Sites
With the rapid acceptance of digital currencies and their growing popularity, it has become a necessity in financial transactions, and betting sites are no exception. Bettors have overtime called for the integration of this type of payment method on sportsbooks for some reasons. Some of which are the obvious reason of anonymity, lowers fees applicable, and faster transfers from point A to B. Some top sports betting sites have since integrated digital currency as a payment method, while some even go a step further to offer mouth-watering promotions specifically for cryptocurrency bettors.
And the residents of Arkansas are also not left out of this. They can fund their betting accounts or withdraw from them using their typical credit and debit cards (VISA, MasterCard), Check by Courier, Zelle, Voucher, and wire transfer. They can also utilize digital currencies like Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash.
Popular deposit options at AR betting sites:
- Paypal
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Neteller
- Bitcoin
- Bank transfer
Most popular esports to bet on in Arkansas
Arkansas bettors can enjoy markets on dozens of esports titles. While player favorites may vary, the most commonly bet-on games in the state are:
- League of Legends (LoL)
- Counter-Strike 2 (CS2)
- Dota 2
- Call of Duty
- Valorant
- Overwatch
- NBA2K / EA Sports FC (sports sims)
- PUBG / Fortnite
-
BetOnline
Fast Payouts
Terms & Conditions Apply. Visit BetOnline for more information.
Arkansas Sports Betting Laws
Months after the repeal of the PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Acts) of 1992 by the United States Supreme Court, Arkansas state legalized sports betting in November 2018. Arkansas was among some of the earlier states to begin the process of legalizing sports betting. It is, however, limited strictly to land-based sportsbooks.
PASPA restricted the state from hosting its own legal sports betting markets. But after the legalization of sports betting as seen on Arkansas Issue 4 and repeal of the act, Arkansas boasts of three land-based sportsbooks, namely the Southland Casino Racing Sportbook, Oaklawn Racing Casino, and the Saracen Casino Resort. However, the Issue 4 passage did not legalize online nor mobile sports betting. So with the absence of its regulated online sports betting market, residents are bound to walk into a land-based sportsbook or partake via offshore sportsbooks.
Residents are allowed to wager on daily fantasy sports as it features all major players. Although there exists no major league team in the state, players can bet on fantasy lineups for NHL, golf, basketball, NFL, soccer, CBB, MLB, NASCAR, and others, via various online sports betting sportsbooks, like FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo, and Fantasy Drafts. Residents of Arkansas are, however, prohibited from wagering on games that directly involve the states college teams.
Some assume that eSports betting is legalized in Arkansas as sports betting is, but it is not. According to the bill, eSports would have to be tagged as an ‘athletic sport’ by the Racing Commission for it to be covered by the bill and deemed legal.
The Gambling bill covers the lottery games, and residents are permitted to play both the state and national lotteries in Arkansas. They have access to the state-owned Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and Natural State Jackpot. Players can access tickets for major national lotteries, including Mega Millions and Powerball. Also legal in Arkansas is horse racing. Races are held at the Oaklawn Park Race Track, with its racing venue located in Hot Springs. The Oaklawn Park Race Track features the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Residents of Arkansas are allowed to wager on horse racing online via NYRA Bets.
More USA betting guides:
What’s next for online esports betting in Arkansas?
Although there are no current plans for legalizing online esports betting in Arkansas, the success of the retail market and growth in daily fantasy usage could spur future regulatory changes. Industry insiders remain optimistic that Arkansas will eventually follow states like Nevada, New Jersey, Colorado, and Tennessee in recognizing esports wagering.
