Arkansas
Kambi Group plc signs sportsbook agreement with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
Multi-channel agreement includes provision of Kambi’s sportsbook direct to Oaklawn’s property in Hot Springs, Arkansas, as well as its mobile sportsbook, Oaklawn Sports
Kambi Group plc has signed an agreement with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort to provide its on-property and online sportsbook solutions direct to the premier Thoroughbred racetrack and casino in the US state of Arkansas.
Under the deal, Kambi will support Oaklawn in launching its online sportsbook operations under the brand ‘Oaklawn Sports,’ through the provision of its best-in-class digital betting solutions, which includes Bet Builder, Kambi’s award-winning same game and multi-game combinability product.
Oaklawn will also continue to offer Kambi’s retail sportsbook within its Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. Via a partnership with operator Churchill Downs Incorporated, Kambi has provided Oaklawn with its retail sportsbook since 2021, with today’s deal replacing this agreement to see Kambi contract direct with Oaklawn for an extended period. In addition, Oaklawn plans to expand its sports betting retail operations, creating an exciting experience for its patrons during the Thoroughbred races.
Kristian Nylén, Kambi Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, said: “We’re very excited to strengthen our relationship with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and imminently extend our partnership into the mobile space. The combination of Kambi’s advanced technology and Oaklawn’s reputation as one of the premier Thoroughbred tracks and casinos in the US makes this an enticing sports betting proposition.
Wayne Smith, General Manager of Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, said: “Oaklawn has been one of the most trusted brands in Arkansas for more than 100 years and we are excited to now offer our loyal customers yet another great amenity with our much-anticipated mobile wagering platform. We look forward to delivering the best online sports wagering experience in Arkansas.”
Arkansas
Internet Vikings Expands U.S. Hosting Services to 25 States with New Launch in Arkansas
Internet Vikings, a licensed in-state hosting provider for the iGaming and online sports betting industry, has officially launched its services in Arkansas, extending its operations to 25 U.S. states.
The company offers a range of hosting solutions, including VMware Cloud Hosting, Bare Metal Servers, and Co-location solutions. Designed to meet the needs of the iGaming and online sports betting industry, these services ensure compliance, scalability, and reliability, supporting operators in maintaining uninterrupted operations.
Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings, stated, “Launching in Arkansas is an important step in our U.S. strategy. Our goal has always been to provide dependable hosting that aligns with the specific needs of our partners.”
Kristoffer Ottosson, COO of Internet Vikings, added, “With every state we enter, we ensure that our support standards and customer-centricity expands with us. We look forward to building lasting relationships in Arkansas.”
This new state expansion at the end of 2024 has been one of many achievements from Internet Vikings. These include winning the EGR North America Award 2024 for Cloud and IT Services Partner of the Year, introducing pay-as-you-go bursting available in 25 states — and achieving Broadcom VMware Premier Partner status. Additionally, Internet Vikings expanded into Latin America, reaching and supporting emerging markets.
Internet Vikings remains focused on building long-term partnerships and delivering hosting solutions that are flexible and aligned with industry requirements. The company’s experience in supporting operators in regulated markets positions it as a valuable partner for businesses establishing operations in Arkansas.
Arkansas
North Carolina Lawmaker to Introduce Bill to End College Player Prop Bets
North Carolina legislator intends to introduce legislation to ban college player prop bets, according to a staff member.
North Carolina State Representative Marcia Morey, D-Durham, a former Olympic swimmer, will submit a bill by the bill filing deadline on Thursday to ban these bets, Hannah Smith, Administrative Assistant, told Gambling.com on Monday.
The North Carolina Legislature began meeting in Raleigh on April 24 with the session set to end on July 31.
Recently, NCAA President Charlie Baker, a former Massachusetts governor, called upon states to ban college player prop bets, which is short for proposition bets. Baker said these bets, based on an athlete’s individual performance such as the over/under on the number of rebounds the player might record, could undermine the integrity of games and lead to harassment of players.
Former North Carolina Tar Heel star Armando Bacot is among athletes who have expressed concern about harassment. Bacot said he heard from fans angry that he didn’t get enough rebounds in an NCAA tournament game against Michigan State – a game the Tar Heels won.
College Prop Bets Allowed in Some States
Some states already ban these bets, while others including Louisiana, intend to impose a ban this summer before the college and pro football seasons begin.
In other states, the proposed ban has met with resistance.
During a recent interview on The Edge, Arkansas casino executive Carlton Saffa told Gambling.com a ban would drive bettors to unregulated offshore sportsbooks or illegal bookies. He said a better solution is to keep those bets legal in regulated markets where irregularities can be spotted.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant,” Saffa, the Chief Marketing Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, said.
College player prop bets remain legal in Arkansas.
In North Carolina, where statewide mobile sports betting became legal in March, State Representative Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, said in a story on the WNCN-TV website that a college player prop ban is ‘a solution in search of a problem’. If athletes are being harassed, he said, campus police should crack down on those making the threats and make an example of them. A ban won’t stop the problem, Saine said.
“If we ended (player prop bets) tomorrow, this kind of behavior would still continue with fanatical people,” Saine said. “Follow rules of society, you don’t threaten anybody, or you shouldn’t be. And, that’s kind of my take on it. I don’t think we need a whole new set of rules to pursue something like that.”
Morey, the lawmaker proposing the ban, said people are ‘forgetting about the individuals who are actually playing the game and having the pressure on them’.
“Let’s give them a break,” she said.
Alex Lieblong
Arkansas Casino Seeks iGaming Approval
An Arkansas casino is seeking approval to operate an iGaming app, allowing people within the state to go online to play casino games such as slots, blackjack, craps and more.
On March 13, Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, wrote to Arkansas Racing Commission Chairman Alex Lieblong asking for a change in the rules to allow Internet casino gambling, which is often referred to as iGaming or iCasino platforms.
On Monday, Saffa told Gambling.com he hopes to appear before the Arkansas Racing Commission on May 6 seeking approval to offer iGaming. The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates all gambling matters in the state including horse racing and casino games.
iGaming Doesn’t Hurt Bricks-And-Mortar Casinos: Saffa
Nationwide, only a half dozen states from Michigan to Connecticut offer Internet casino gambling. Arkansas would be the first in its region with iGaming, permitting users who want to log onto a computer or download an app to play traditional casino games for money. Other states in the region already offer sports betting.
In his March 13 letter to state regulators, Saffa said estimates indicate Internet casino gambling from the Saracen Casino Resort alone would generate an additional $12 million in taxes annually for the state. Internet casino gambling, or iGaming, generally raises more tax revenue than sports betting in states that have both.
However, in some states without iGaming, casino operators have fought legalization, contending customers won’t visit a bricks-and-mortar casinos and spend money at restaurants and on other amenities including entertainment and lodging if they can log onto cellphones or computers and gamble from anywhere. In his letter to state regulators, Saffa pointed to research showing iGaming doesn’t cannibalize bricks-and-mortar casinos but instead gives them ‘a lift’.
State Rule Change Required
Arkansas already allows online poker, though that has not been made available to consumers, Saffa said. He said the ability to allow iGaming would require the Arkansas Racing Commission to amend a rule to include Internet casino games in addition to the currently legal online card games such as poker.
“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 revenues 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.”
Saffa recently made a similar argument on the topic of unregulated gambling, telling Gambling.com on The Edge he opposes a ban on college player props bets, saying, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
“People in Arkansas are already gambling in online casinos and those companies are not regulated or taxed by the Arkansas Racing Commission,” Saffa said Monday. “Those companies are not held to the standards the people of Arkansas set forth for operators to include that a customer must be 21.”
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