An Arkansas casino is seeking approval to operate an iGaming app, allowing people within the state to go online to play casino games such as slots, blackjack, craps and more.

On March 13, Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, wrote to Arkansas Racing Commission Chairman Alex Lieblong asking for a change in the rules to allow Internet casino gambling, which is often referred to as iGaming or iCasino platforms.

On Monday, Saffa told Gambling.com he hopes to appear before the Arkansas Racing Commission on May 6 seeking approval to offer iGaming. The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates all gambling matters in the state including horse racing and casino games.

iGaming Doesn’t Hurt Bricks-And-Mortar Casinos: Saffa

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Nationwide, only a half dozen states from Michigan to Connecticut offer Internet casino gambling. Arkansas would be the first in its region with iGaming, permitting users who want to log onto a computer or download an app to play traditional casino games for money. Other states in the region already offer sports betting.

In his March 13 letter to state regulators, Saffa said estimates indicate Internet casino gambling from the Saracen Casino Resort alone would generate an additional $12 million in taxes annually for the state. Internet casino gambling, or iGaming, generally raises more tax revenue than sports betting in states that have both.

However, in some states without iGaming, casino operators have fought legalization, contending customers won’t visit a bricks-and-mortar casinos and spend money at restaurants and on other amenities including entertainment and lodging if they can log onto cellphones or computers and gamble from anywhere. In his letter to state regulators, Saffa pointed to research showing iGaming doesn’t cannibalize bricks-and-mortar casinos but instead gives them ‘a lift’.

State Rule Change Required

Arkansas already allows online poker, though that has not been made available to consumers, Saffa said. He said the ability to allow iGaming would require the Arkansas Racing Commission to amend a rule to include Internet casino games in addition to the currently legal online card games such as poker.

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“A solution exists by amending ARC Rule 5, which already authorizes online poker, to include other types of table games and slots,” Saffa told Gambling.com on Monday. “Doing so would provide significant tax revenues to government and, just as important, ensure that operators be held accountable by the government. Given that we have seen online operators in the fantasy sports space ignore cease and desist demands from the state, merely attempting to police the matter is not a workable solution.”

Saffa recently made a similar argument on the topic of unregulated gambling, telling Gambling.com on The Edge he opposes a ban on college player props bets, saying, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”

“People in Arkansas are already gambling in online casinos and those companies are not regulated or taxed by the Arkansas Racing Commission,” Saffa said Monday. “Those companies are not held to the standards the people of Arkansas set forth for operators to include that a customer must be 21.”

Internet Vikings, a leader in providing licensed in-state hosting solutions, announces its entry into Connecticut, offering its services to the online gaming industry. This expansion marks another achievement in the company’s commitment to nationwide coverage, bringing its premium hosting solutions to a total of 24 states across the U.S.

Connecticut made history in October 2021 by becoming the 6th state to launch legal online gambling. The collaborative effort between the state’s tribes and gaming providers laid the foundation for an advancing iGaming market. According to Gaming Intelligence’s report, Connecticut’s online gambling industry continues to prosper, with bets surging 33% in January 2024.

“As the Connecticut market experiences significant growth, there’s a clear opportunity for additional service providers” observed Kristoffer Ottosson, COO at Internet Vikings. “Obtaining our license as an online gaming service provider enables us to contribute to this expanding sector and capitalize on its potential.”

Internet Vikings prioritizes exceptional hosting services, customer service, and reliability for businesses across the United States. “I’m impressed with our team’s speed in securing the Connecticut license within a month from the signing of the agreement with the customer,” added Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings. “Looking ahead to 2024, we’re set to expand our reach into additional states to continue meeting the needs of the industry.”

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The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) today announced Fanatics Betting and Gaming, a subsidiary of Fanatics Holdings Incorporated, a global digital sports platform, as its new sports betting partner in the state of Connecticut. The Fanatics Sportsbook will serve as the CLC’s exclusive sports betting provider for mobile and retail channels. The expected transition date is mid-December.

“Fanatics is the only true sports brand in the gaming space and has established itself as an innovator in the industry,” the President and Chief Executive Officer for the CLC, Greg Smith, said. “We have been impressed with the Fanatics team, its aggressive entry into the United States sports betting market and we are excited to see how it redefines the sports betting customer experience here in Connecticut. The CLC anticipates notable market share growth as a result of this partnership.”

Sports fans living in and visiting Connecticut will soon be able to download the Fanatics Sportsbook on iOS and Android and begin their Fanatics experience. With this new partnership, Connecticut sports bettors will enjoy an online sportsbook that makes being a fan easy with fast signup, easy betting, transparent withdrawals, live streaming, industry-leading search functionality, the ability to earn FanCash on their bets and a curated discover page with the sports and bets that matter most to a customer.

“We are excited to be working with the CLC to bring the Fanatics Sportsbook to customers in Connecticut,” the Chief Business Officer for Fanatics Holdings Incorporated, Ari Borod, said. “We are looking forward to bringing the Fanatics experience to the ten retail locations throughout Connecticut and, more importantly, adding our innovative mobile app to the online choices available in Connecticut.”

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To download images and videos of the Fanatics Sportsbook, visit the Fanatics Media Center and for more news and information follow the Fanatics Sportsbook social channels on X @FanaticsBook_PB and on Instagram @FanaticsBook_PB.