As at now, 2015, the position of state laws that regulate online gambling or any other form of gambling in Arkansas is somewhat confusing. However, there are state laws which, through the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), have prohibited banks from making any transactions that have anything to do with gambling payments or proceeds.
The History of Gambling In Arkansas
Online poker and other forms of gambling may not be explicitly allowed in the state of Arkansas today, but during the time of the settlers, gambling was the order of the day. In fact, when the US civil war ended, gambling became all the more entrenched into the Arkansas society so that nobody raised the question of gambling illegality. Hot Springs, one of Arkansas’ cities, was at some point the gambling hotbed. And there was disorder too as two affluent families, the Flynns and the Dolans, fought for domination. Apparently, there were no gambling state laws to speak about those days, and those who ran casinos exercised their muscle the best way they knew how.
Frank Flynn was the guy who, for many years, dominated the gambling arena with his gambling houses without the inhibitions of state laws. However, when an ex-army major, Alexander Dolan brought in competition in 1884, all hell broke loose. Instead of the show being confined to the betting tables, the dirty part of it extended beyond the gambling arena and even involved different law enforcement departments fighting on opposite sides in support of the different families. There were no US poker laws or any other state laws that could be invoked to bring the Flynn/Dolan rivalry to an end. So the gambling related feud only came to a natural halt when Dolan was murdered.
So did the feud catalyze the enactment of stringent gambling state laws?
Incidentally, there is no sign that state laws were put in place to avoid future catastrophes. Nevertheless, gambling continued unabated with Hot Springs becoming the most dominant gambling centre within the US. But come 1967 and any poker that residents may have enjoyed came to an end plus all other gambling activities. The many casinos that existed were burnt down together with their equipment from the instigation of the Republican Governor of the time. No gambling venue was left in operation.
What is the position of gambling in Arkansas today?
Today, there are state laws that say something about betting and other gambling activities within the state of Arkansas. However, the reality is that these laws have confusing clauses that leave gambling enthusiasts using their discretion to choose the gaming activities to partake in as they hope that the law does not prove to be against them. As for availability of gaming venues, the ones of brick and mortar are only two. But you can find websites for online gambling in excess of two.
At a glance, someone reading the statute in Arkansas will find anything to do with betting for money or property outright outlawed – until you read the exceptions. The state laws lift restrictions for social betting as well as private betting, the assumption being that no profit is to be earned by the host. Charitable bingo is also excused just as are raffle games; and even pari-mutuel betting. That portrays a rather conservative state government.
However, gamblers still log onto the web and play online poker even if it means playing on sites that are hosted in other states. The bright side is that there are no conspicuous cases of people being fined or incarcerated for engaging in online gambling within the state of Arkansas.