ARKANSAS RACING COMMISSION APPROVES ONLINE SPORTS BETTING RULES

Sports bettors in Arkansas may soon be allowed to place bets remotely under amended casino gaming rules.

The amendments approved Thursday by the Arkansas Racing Commission would allow players who are physically present in the state to place bets without the need to visit a casino or to pre-register an online wagering account in person.

Under existing rules, sports betting is only available to patrons who are physically present at a licensed casino.

The amendments also include a requirement that licensed casinos retain a majority of the revenue generated from sports betting when contracting with a third-party sports betting vendor.

Licensed casinos must operate a retail sportsbook in order to be eligible to offer online sports betting, with each casino licensee limited to operating two individually branded online sports platforms.

The amendments were approved by the Arkansas Racing Commission on December 30 and are subject to further approval by the Arkansas Legislative Council before coming into effect.

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