Arkansas has three casinos, and for the first time since 2018 that number looks settled. Amendment 100, passed by voters in November 2018, wrote four licences into the state constitution: one each for Garland, Crittenden, Jefferson and Pope counties. Three were built. The fourth was awarded, litigated for years, and then repealed by the same voters in November 2024. This page lists every licensed floor, what each is allowed to offer, and what happened to the one that never opened.
The three floors
| Casino | City | County | Slots | Tables | Hotel | Google rating |
| Southland Casino Hotel | West Memphis | Crittenden | 2,400 | 50 | 300 rooms | 4.0, 14,000+ reviews |
| Saracen Casino Resort | Pine Bluff | Jefferson | 1,500+ | 30 plus poker | 300 rooms | 4.1, 3,400+ reviews |
| Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort | Hot Springs | Garland | 1,400+ | 30 | 198 rooms | 4.2, 11,000+ reviews |
Two of the three grew out of racetracks. Oaklawn has run thoroughbreds since 1904 and Southland began as a greyhound track. Only Saracen, the Quapaw Nation's property, was drawn as a casino from the start, which is why its floor is the most coherent of the three.
Southland Casino Hotel, West Memphis
The largest floor in the state, and geographically a Memphis casino that happens to sit in Arkansas: downtown Memphis is about seven minutes away across the Mississippi. 2,400 slots, 50 live tables, electronic craps and roulette, a dedicated High Limit Room and a Betly sportsbook whose kiosks stay open around the clock. The 20-floor hotel tower has 300 rooms. Traffic follows Memphis, so Friday and Saturday nights are busy and midweek daytime is quiet. Our Southland review has the detail.
Saracen Casino Resort, Pine Bluff
The Quapaw Nation's property, about 45 minutes south-east of Little Rock, and the most convenient floor for the state's own population. More than 1,500 slots and 30 tables covering baccarat, craps, roulette, blackjack and super four, plus the Saracen Poker Room, the only dedicated poker room in Arkansas. A 14-storey, 300-room hotel opened as part of a roughly $250 million expansion, with a spa, an event centre and a Quapaw museum and cultural centre on site. Read our Saracen review.
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, Hot Springs
The best-rated of the three and the one with a reason to visit beyond the floor. The live thoroughbred meet runs from early December to early May and ends with the Racing Festival of the South and the Arkansas Derby. The casino side is more than 1,400 slots and 30 tables, open 24 hours year-round, with a 198-room hotel and the state's only Forbes Four-Star spa. There is no poker room. Our Oaklawn review covers the meet calendar.
The fourth licence: Pope County
This is the part most lists get wrong. Amendment 100 authorised a fourth casino in Pope County, and in June 2024 the Arkansas Racing Commission awarded that licence to Cherokee Nation Entertainment for a planned Legends Resort and Casino at Russellville. Five months later, in November 2024, voters passed Issue 2, now Amendment 104, which repealed the Pope County licence outright and requires a countywide election before any new casino can be licensed anywhere in the state. Cherokee Nation sued. In August 2025 a federal judge dismissed the case, and the tribe has appealed to the Eighth Circuit, where the state has asked the court to uphold the ruling. Until that changes, Arkansas has three casinos and no path to a fourth without a county vote. We checked the docket status in September 2026 and nothing had moved.
The rules that apply to all three
Age. You must be 21 to gamble at any Arkansas casino. The lottery and pari-mutuel windows are 18.
Hours. All three floors run 24 hours a day, every day. Poker, restaurants and racing keep their own hours.
Sports betting. Retail sportsbooks have operated at the casinos since 2019, and mobile apps launched in March 2022. Each casino may run up to two apps, and every app must be partnered with an in-state casino; there is no standalone mobile licence. DraftKings, for example, runs through Southland with a $5 minimum deposit. Our Arkansas sports betting guide explains the partner-only market.
Online casinos. Arkansas does not license real-money online casinos. Sweepstakes casinos, which run on a no-purchase-necessary model, are what most Arkansans play from home; our Arkansas sweepstakes rankings cover the platforms that accept the state.
Choosing between them
For a table player or anyone who wants poker, we rate Saracen the best choice: the poker room has no in-state competition and the pit is the widest. Southland is better than the other two on slot count and on being open to a late-night Memphis crowd, and its High Limit Room is unique in the state. Oaklawn is the pick for a weekend, not a session: go during the meet, stay trackside, and treat the floor as the second act. All three appear on our in-person casinos page.
Frequently asked questions
How many casinos are in Arkansas?
Three: Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis, Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs.
Is there a casino in Little Rock?
No. The nearest floor to Little Rock is Saracen at Pine Bluff, about 45 minutes south-east.
What happened to the Pope County casino?
The licence was awarded to Cherokee Nation Entertainment in 2024 and repealed by voters that November. A federal court dismissed the tribe's challenge in August 2025; an appeal is pending.
What is the casino age in Arkansas?
21 at every casino floor. Lottery and pari-mutuel wagering are 18.
Which Arkansas casino has poker?
Only Saracen Casino Resort has a dedicated poker room.
