TheArkansas Racing Commission is scheduled to meet Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. in Little Rock, where members could consider applications that would bring the two biggest US sports betting brands into partnership with Arkansas casinos.
Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the commission, confirmed that DraftKings has applied to partner with Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis and FanDuel has applied to partner with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. Although the meeting agenda has not yet been finalized, Hardin said the commission could vote on the applications as early as that session, reports 5News.
Under current commission rules, 51% of revenue from such partnerships must revert to the in-state casino partner. Hardin said national sportsbook companies previously objected to that requirement.
“They were not fans of this rule,” Hardin said. “Obviously, they had different agreements in other states, and at least at the time, some expressed concerns that the 51% rule would keep them out of Arkansas. Obviously, that’s not the case.”
If the applications are approved, the arrangements would allow co-branded mobile wagering platforms tied to the licensed casinos. Hardin described how that could alter the presentation of sports betting in the state.
“This would allow the sportsbooks to utilize the technology of DraftKings and FanDuel,” Hardin said. “You could see the apps themselves change. You could see a lot of marketing around it, and I think it would definitely change the face of how this is marketed across the state.”
Hardin further explained what the approval might look like in practice.
“If this were approved by the Arkansas Racing Commission, what you could see is a co-branded app between a FanDuel or DraftKings and one of the state’s casinos,” Hardin explained. He added that the revenue-sharing structure could deter certain companies from entering the Arkansas market.
The proposals have drawn opposition from within Arkansas’ casino industry. Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for Saracen Casino Resort, said the move represents a departure from a previously unified position among the state’s casinos.
“This is in direct contradiction to what all three casinos unanimously believed was the correct position only about four years ago,” Saffa said.
Saffa raised concerns about decision-making authority shifting to executives located outside Arkansas. “I’m concerned when you have people, in the case of FanDuel, who are in New York, or DraftKings, who are in Boston, making decisions about how operations will occur,” Saffa said. “There’s great value in having Arkansans operating in a business in Arkansas.”
Critics, including representatives from other Arkansas casinos, argue that such partnerships may conflict with Amendment 100, approved by voters in 2018. The amendment requires that sportsbooks be operated by licensed casinos rather than independent third-party companies.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/02/23/117723-arkansas-racing-commission-to-decide-on-draftkings-and-fanduel-casino-partnerships
