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Arkansas Casinos and Gambling. Arkansas is one of many American states where confusing language in the sections related to gaming in the state’s penal code and a “pick and choose” approach to law enforcement have made it difficult for people living in Arkansas to determine which forms of gaming are legal and which aren’t.
If your vision of casino players is James Bond, in a tux, at Monte Carlo, forget it. American casinos do not enforce that kind of formality. Casual clothing and sportswear are most common, but you'll see everything from evening wear to T-shirts and jeans in the same casino. If some of your other preconceived notions about casinos are a little out of whack, here's a guide to what you should expect on the gambling floor.The Basics
A lot of casinos give free beverages to players. In many states it's illegal to give free alcoholic beverages to casino customers, so casinos in these jurisdictions charge for alcohol but usually give free soft drinks and coffee to playing customers. In either case, it's appropriate to tip the cocktail server -- a couple of quarters or a dollar will do.
Be sure you know the bet requirements at a particular slot machine or table game before you sit down. On slots or video poker, the denomination is either painted on the machine's glass or displayed on a video screen.
At table games, each table has a rectangular sign detailing minimum and maximum bets. Usually the signs are color-coded to correspond to the color of casino chips -- a white sign usually denotes a table with a $1 minimum bet, a red sign denotes a $5 minimum, a green sign denotes a $25 minimum, and a black sign denotes a $100 minimum, just as at most casinos $1 chips are white, $5 chips are red, $25 chips are green, and $100 chips are black. Do not take this system for granted, however; a few casinos have signs all of the same color or use different color coding. Read the sign before sitting down to play.
Table players change currency for casino chips at the tables. Place currency on the table layout and ask the dealer, 'Change, please.' The dealer will give you the corresponding amount in chips and will push your money into a locked drop box.
When it comes time to leave, remember that the dealer does not have access to cash at the tables. To change your chips for cash, you must go to the casino cashier's booth. If you have a lot of smaller-denomination chips and wish to change for larger-denomination chips to make it easier to carry them to the cashier's booth, ask the dealer to 'color up.' He or she then will give you one green $25 chip for five red $5 chips, or a black $100 chip for twenty $5 chips, for example.
Slot players usually cash out by pushing a button to print out a bar-coded ticket. That ticket can be used in another machine or redeemed for cash at the cashier's cage or cash kiosk. A few machines still pay out in coins or tokens, but they are being rapidly replaced.
Payoffs
You'll sometimes find payoffs expressed as 'chances-TO-1'; other times, especially in video poker, they are expressed as 'chances-FOR-1.' In roulette, for example, the payoff for hitting a single number is 35-to-1. The player's one-unit bet stays on the table until the outcome is determined. If the player wins, he or she wins 35 units and gets to keep the original bet for a total of 36 units. But in video poker, the payoff for three of a kind is usually 3-for-1. The player has already put one unit down the slot and that is gone; the player who hits three of a kind gets a total of three units back for the one that has been wagered.
Bankroll
Do not go into a casino with money you can't afford to lose. Even at games with house percentages of less than 1 percent, there will be times the player just can't win. The worst thing a player can do is to start chasing losses, gambling money needed elsewhere in an attempt to win back money that's already gone.
Remember, the house percentage is in effect on every spin of the roulette wheel or slot reels. No law of averages says you have to start winning just because you've been on a long losing streak. If you've been betting on 'Even' in roulette and odd numbers have shown up ten times in a row, the next spin is no more or less likely to be an even number than any other spin. Each trial is independent, and the house advantage still is 5.26 percent. Treat your gambling bankroll as an entertainment expense and budget accordingly. Set limits on losses and stick to them.
Once you've decided how much to budget for the day, play at a level appropriate to your bankroll. If you have $20 for a couple of hours in the casino, you can't afford to play $1 slots or $5 blackjack. You'll need to stick to quarter slots, and at that you risk being finished for the day in about 15 minutes.
In Illinois, where such statistics are released by the Illinois Gaming Board, the average casino customer loses about $100 in a typical day at the barge or boat. But you need to bring more than that with you. You need enough of a cushion to ride out the inevitable losing streaks that happen in any game.
Here are some recommended minimum bankrolls for a two-hour casino stay:
25-cent slots and video poker: $100
$5-a-hand blackjack: $150
$5-per-spin roulette (even-money bets): $100
$5 best-method craps (pass and two-come bets with double odds): $500
$10-a-hand mini-baccarat (table minimums are usually higher than at other casino games): $200
This is not to suggest that you should expect to lose $200 if you play mini-baccarat for a couple of hours. Your average outcome will be in the range of $10 to $20 in losses, and sometimes you'll walk away a winner.
The final bit of etiquette you should learn before you hit the casino is knowing when to expect a comp from the casino and when you should tip your dealer. Both of these sensitive subjects will be covered in the next section.
For more information about casino gambling, try the following links:
- To see all of our articles on poker rules and advice, go to our main article on How To Play Poker.
- Among the most popular games in casinos are video poker games. Pull up a chair and learn How to Play Video Poker.
- If you'd like to pass by the games of chance, you'll want a hefty bankroll and a knowledge of How to Play Poker in a Casino.
- Hang on to some of your money with these helpful Poker Betting Tips.
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Introduction to Arkansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019
Arkansas slot machine casino gambling consists of two casinos with Class II skill-based slot machines. These racinos also offer pari-mutuel wagering of dog or horse races.
These competition-style slot machines have a legal minimum payout return limit.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Arkansas*
The minimum legal gambling age in Arkansas depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21
- Poker Rooms: 21
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
State law allows skill-based gaming machines, but only if approved locally by their municipalities.
The state legislation which permitted skill-based gaming machines via Act 1511 is known as the Local Option Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Electronic Games of Skill Act of 2005.
Further, Arkansas’ Governor legalized the state’s tribes through negotiated tribal-state compacts to offer slot machines on their reservations in 1993. All tribal casinos in Arkansas offer competition-style slot machines, video poker, and video keno.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Arkansas
All slot machines are legal to own privately.
Gaming Control Board in Arkansas
The Arkansas state gaming commission is the Electronic Games of Skill Section within the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). The Section is responsible for gaming regulation and compliance of all skill-based games in Arkansas.
Casinos in Arkansas
There are two casinos with competition-based gaming machines and pari-mutuel racing in Arkansas.
The largest casino in Arkansas is Southland Park Gaming & Racing in West Memphis with over 2,000 gaming machines and over 40 table games.
The second-largest casino, and only other casino in Arkansas is Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs.
A third casino, expected to be the largest in the state, is pending. Owned and operated by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the River Valley Casino Resort will be in Pope County in northwest Arkansas. Some legal obstacles remain before construction can begin.
Commercial Casinos in Arkansas
The two casinos in Arkansas are:
- Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort located in Hot Springs, 57 miles southwest of Little Rock.
- Southland Park Gaming & Racing located in West Memphis, 132 miles east and north of Little Rock on the eastern state border near the Mississippi River.
Both of Arkansas’ pari-mutuel wagering facilities with skill-based slot machines have a rich history going back over 100 years.
Tribal Casinos in Arkansas
There is one pending tribal casino in Arkansas:
Where To Comment On Arkansas Casino Rules Today
- River Valley Casino Resort located in Russellville, 78 miles northwest of Little Rock – PENDING.
Other Gambling Establishments
Where To Comment On Arkansas Casino Rules 2016
As an alternative to enjoying Arkansas slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Arkansas is:
- North: Missouri Slots
- East: Mississippi Slots and Tennessee Slots
- South: Louisiana Slots
- Southwest: Texas Slots
- West: Oklahoma Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my state-specific blog for that neighboring state to Arkansas.
Our Arkansas Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Arkansas? If so, join our new Arkansas slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in or near Arkansas. Join us!
Payout Returns in Arkansas
The state legislature has required all electronic games of skill must have a minimum payout return of 83% during the expected lifetime of the game. There is no maximum payout return limit.
The Electronic Games of Skills Miscellaneous Tax Section of the DFA provides the gaming machine revenues for both racinos. These amounts subject to state taxes do not include the value returned to casino patrons.
Otherwise, only the American Casino Guide (ACG) Arkansas entry provides public information on payout return statistics for Arkansas casinos. From mid-2017 thru mid-2018, the ACG reports payout return statistics of 93.04% for Oaklawn Park and 92.86% for Southland Park.
Summary of Arkansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019
Arkansas slot machine casino gambling consists of two pari-mutuel wagering facilities with skill-based slot machines. The competition-style slot machines must have some element of skill included with the device. This decision-making feature is not necessarily the primary game theme, but often a non-used feature.
Theoretical payout returns for slot machines in Arkansas are a minimum of 83% over the expected lifetime of the game. The ACG publicly reports return statistics for both casinos to have an annual average relatively close to 93%.
Annual Progress in Arkansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, approvals have progressed for a tribal casino in Pope County as discussed in last year’s review. The Arkansas Times has updated reports on its pending status.
Previously, only electronic versions of popular table games were available at Arkansas casinos. On April 1, 2019, live table games arrived. The casinos now offer live versions of craps, blackjack, and other table games.
Archive: Arkansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018
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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC