PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff is officially seeking approval for an iGaming app, which would allow Arkansans to play slots, blackjack, craps, and more casino games online.
On March 13, Saracen's Chief Market Officer Carlton Saffa wrote to Arkansas Racing Commission Chairman Alex Lieblong to ask for a change in the rules to allow internet casino gambling, also known as iGaming or iCasino platforms.
Saffa added that "estimates indicate internet casino gambling from Saracen alone would generate an additional $12 million in taxes annually for the state."
The commission regulates all gambling in the state, including horse racing and casino games. Saffa stated that he hoped to appear before them on May 6 to seek approval for iGaming.
Nationwide, only a half dozen states offer iGaming, and Arkansas would be the first in its region with internet casino gambling.
Arkansas currently allows online poker, though according to Saffa, that has not been made available to consumers.
He added that implementing iGaming would require the Racing Commission to amend a rule to include internet casino games in addition to the currently legal online card games
"A solution exists by amending ARC Rule 5, which already authorizes online poker, to include other types of table games and slots," Saffa told Gambling.com on Monday. "Doing so would provide significant tax revenue to government, and, just as important, ensure that operators be held accountable by the government. Given that we have seen online operators in the fantasy sports space ignore cease and desist demands from the state, merely attempting to police the matter is not a workable solution."