A casino executive told Gambling.com that a bill legalizing online casino gaming and outlawing unregulated sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks is slated to be introduced at the Arkansas Legislature next week.

Carlton Saffa, chief market officer at Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, said late Friday that the proposed bill would make operating online sweepstakes platforms a felony in Arkansas. He did not identify which legislator would be the bill’s lead sponsor but said it has bipartisan support.

Saffa said sweepstakes plan forms in use across the country, including in Arkansas, are "the Wild West" in terms of state oversight and regulation.

Under the proposed legislation, only Arkansas’ three licensed brick-and-mortar casinos would be allowed to operate regulated online casinos and sportsbooks statewide, Saffa said. Regulated online sports betting is already legal in Arkansas.

In addition to Saracen, the state’s other land-based casinos are Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs and Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis. The three have mobile sportsbooks available under their own brands in Arkansas. Oaklawn also offers a mobile app for betting on horse races.

Saffa said the proposed bill in Arkansas would be modeled in part on legislation in New York to ban sweepstakes casinos.

In other states, legal iGaming allows bettors to use their cellphone or computer to play traditional casino games such as slots and craps for real money. It is legal in eight states and typically raises more tax revenue than sports betting in states where both are legal. Last year, Saffa appeared on an episode of Gambling.com's "The Edge," discussing his support of iGaming.

On Friday, Saffa said the proposed bill to legalize iGaming would shrink rather than expand the amount of gambling available in the state.

“We are constricting the number of parties that can participate by regulating it, limiting it and creating felony provisions for bad actors,” he said.

The legislative session in Little Rock ends on April 11. Once introduced, the bill would require approval in the state Senate and House before being considered by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 

Senator’s Shell Bill On Hold

Also on Friday, state Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, told Gambling.com he does not plan to go forward with a measure to let voters decide whether to amend the state constitution to legalize online casino gambling in Arkansas.

King told Gambling.com he would keep a “shell bill,” Senate Joint Resolution 8, available in case he later needs it. 

King said he discussed the proposed constitutional amendment with others at the Legislature and was told a separate bill seeking to legalize iGaming might be introduced.

Earlier in March, King told Gambling.com the shell bill could be used to put iGaming before voters. He said he wanted the revenue to be used for law enforcement and public safety.