DraftKings, FanDuel Approved To Operate In Arkansas

The seven-member Arkansas Racing Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to allow DraftKings and FanDuel to begin operating sports-betting platforms statewide.

DraftKings will partner with Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis, while FanDuel will partner with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs.

The national companies, together with their Arkansas casino partners, are allowed to begin operating right away, though it was unclear on Thursday how soon the apps would be available to bettors within Arkansas. 

At the meeting on Thursday, representatives of Oaklawn and Southland said their current apps, Oaklawn and Betly, would no longer be operated under those names. The new apps under the partnershpis would be Oaklawn Sports Powered By FanDuel, while Betly would become a Southland-branded app as Powered by DraftKings. Before the apps are available, the proposed new app names could be altered somewhat.

Under the partnerships voted upon Thursday, DraftKings and FanDuel would not make their prediction market platforms available in Arkansas. Meanwhile, Oaklawn's horse racing wagering app, Oaklawn Anywhere, will still be available, a state official told Gambling com. Thursday's Racing Commission vote only impacts sports betting. 

Arkansas' third casino, Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, is not partnering with a national online bookmaker. Its chief market officer, Carlton Saffa, has attempted to block efforts by DraftKings and FanDuel to partner with Arkansas' other two casinos, Southland and Oaklawn.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.