Aug26
Arkansas Welcomes Expanded Gambling, Announces $350M Casino Project
Arkansas to Sketch New Casino Legislation
December 14, 2018 Jim Murphy
It appears that regulations regarding casinos might change in Arkansas, USA. After voters favored gambling expansion, the Arkansas Racing Commission started sketching rules for the new casino legislation. This is a significant step forward…
…as the legislation would pave the road for the fully-developed casinos in the state!
Whether the proposed new regulation would be approved or not, people from Arkansas would have to wait until March 14th, which is the deadline.
Current Situation
At this point, casinos in the state are located in four counties together with horse and dog tracks, and they have electronic gambling to offer to the players.
Two facilities with electronic gambling are Southland Gaming and Racing from West Memphis and Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs. Thanks to Amendment 100, these two can be transformed into casinos in a true sense of the word.
The situation in the state improves when it comes to gambling and there was even a proposal by the commissioners…
…welcoming emergency casino-application rules that would kick-start the construction of the casinos yet to be built.
Baby Steps
Jefferson County officials are already taking the steps to see the idea through. They wrote letters of for Downstream Development Authority of the Quapaw Tribe to construct the sketched-out Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff; and the response was swift.
Attorney for Downstream Development Authority Alex Gray answered that expediting the application process would give them a significant head start and the construction could start in the early days of 2019.
Now:
Not everyone is in favor of acting quickly. Several commissioners wished for the state’s casino expansion to goes smoothly rather than quickly, avoiding potential mistakes. They stressed that the public was watching their moves which is why…
…Alex Lieblong, chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission recommended for the application rules to be reviewed before the meeting takes place.
“We are not whatsoever trying to be a roadblock,” Lieblong said. “We’re just trying to make sure that it’s done in the fairest possible way for Arkansas.”
Opening Up
The tide has changed significantly in Arkansas in just a few months and the state is opening up towards gambling. They are willing to regulate it in the best way possible and make sure they create a safe environment for the people who want to bet.
Only recently have the people of Arkansas approved the Issue 4 Amendment which allows the lawmakers to issue licenses to four casinos. Two existing venues from West Memphis and Hot Springs which we have already mentioned and other two in counties Jefferson and Pope are aimed at. It is thanks to this Amendment…
…that Oaklawn Racing and Gaming and Southland Park Gaming and Racing will become fully fledged!
Motivated by this decision, here.
Source:
“Arkansas Racing Commission drafting new casino legislation”, Niji Ng, europeangaming.eu, December 11, 2018.
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I’m glad things are finally happening in Arkansas. I am so excited for them becoming true casinos. Although it is not Vegas, but it’s a good replacement and close to home.