Yesterday, an Arkansas legislative subcommittee approved a ruling that will legalize mobile sports betting in the state.
This was after the subcommittee asked – and received replies to – questions relating to everything from tracking to security, and from profits to liability. Many complicated issues were discussed at length.
The rule was approved by the Joint Budget Administrative Rule Review Subcommittee which brings the Bear State one step nearer to a legal and regulated sports betting regime.
It is now up to the Joint Budget Committee to give its final approval to the rule. It’s expected that the final vote could take place as early as this coming Tuesday.
What makes Arkansas so unique is that it may become the only state in the US with a profit-sharing arrangement for mobile sports betting that has the government’s stamp of approval. The current rule has a provision that grants local brick-and-mortar casinos 51% of the sports betting profits when they collaborate with online bookmakers such as FanFuel and DraftKings.
Market analysts believe that it’s only a matter of time before players in Arkansas can start betting on sports from their mobile devices. They say that there is clearly huge public interest in this pastime, especially since it is live in Louisiana and Tennessee, already.