The fourth month of the year was not a pretty one for Arkansas’ casino community, with declines in electronic gaming device play, net win and retail wagering, countered by a slight increase in mobile Arkansas sports betting.
In total, Arkansas had a 6.9% decrease in EGD totals, from $697.478 million in March across legal Arkansas casinos to $649.653 million in April.
The three facilities — in Southland Casino of West Memphis, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, and Saracen Casino Resort — also reported a 7.23% drop in net win during April, falling from $52.013 million to $48.251 million.
Arkansas’ nascent sports betting network had similar trends, with retail sportsbooks seeing a 34.4% decline in handle, from $7.908 million to $5.187 million in April. The lone operator (Southland Casino) to have a mobile sportsbook app up and running during the month raked in $3.410 million in handle (up from $3.29 million in March).
The sports betting net win for April in Arkansas was $749,811, down 5.3% from the $791,848 reported in March.
Finally, the mobile sports betting net win for April was $183,996, up from the -$32,155 the state reported in March.
Arkansas Sports Betting, April vs. March
Where Arkansas Sports Betting Goes from Here
Arkansas’ sports betting contingent should grow stronger as the year drags on, now that Saracen has launched its BetSaracen app on Apple and Android devices.
The operator, which previously hoped to get its mobile application in place by the opening tip of March Madness, joins Southland Casino in the state’s marketplace.
Saracen partnered with Amelco-UK, Limited on the BetSaracen mobile application and desktop site, allowing Arkansans to have more choice in placing an online wager within the state’s boundaries.
Q3 For Oaklawn App?
A representative from Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort told BetArkansas.com in late April the company’s goal was to have its application up and running early in the third quarter of the year, in time for the opening kickoff of the upcoming college football season.
Southland Casino’s Betly Arkansas site launched in March; its Apple app debuted in late April.
For now, the state’s gaming operators can take credence in the fact that the nascent mobile sports betting market in Arkansas continues to show signs of growth.
The trio of operators should have their mobile Arkansas sports betting apps in working order by the time the Razorbacks kick off the SEC football season this fall, which is when mobile wagering is expected to really show its potential in Arkansas.
