The Arkansas Racing Commission on Thursday gave approval for sports betting to start at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort on July 1.
Jennifer Hoyt, media relations manager for Oaklawn, said sports betting will take place in the VIP racing area of the casino, located at the entrance to the racing area from the gaming floor.
Sports betting, or sports wagering, "allows customers to place wagers on nearly all sports from football to basketball to boxing," Hoyt said.
Arkansas voters approved Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution last fall to authorize four casino licenses in the state. The amendment allows Oaklawn and Southland Gaming and Racing in West Memphis to expand their operations into full-fledged casinos.
According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Southland Gaming and Racing in West Memphis previously announced that sports betting will be offered, but has not yet submitted the required plans to the commission.
Oaklawn began offering live craps and live blackjack on April 1 while continuing to offer its popular slot games. The state racing commission approved casino licenses for Oaklawn and Southland Gaming and Racing in West Memphis on March 23.
Construction is underway on a $100 million expansion Oaklawn announced in November that includes 28,000 square feet of additional gaming space. The expanded gaming floor is set to open prior to the 2020 live race meet.
Local on 06/14/2019