Prediction Markets in Arkansas

Arkansas's Sports Betting Framework

Arkansas voters approved Issue 4 in November 2018, authorizing casino gaming and sports betting at four locations. Retail sportsbooks launched at Oaklawn Racing Casino (Hot Springs), Saracen Casino (Pine Bluff), Southland Casino (West Memphis), and the Pope County license winner site. Mobile sports betting launched in March 2022 under Arkansas Racing Commission Rule 2.13, which controversially required mobile sportsbook operators to be licensed to one of the four AR casinos and capped revenue share at 51% to the casino partner.

As of 2026, three mobile sportsbooks are live in AR: Betly (Saracen), Caesars (Southland), and FanDuel (Oaklawn). DraftKings entered later via a partnership and operates in AR under similar terms. The Arkansas Racing Commission oversees licensed sports wagering with strict in-state revenue sharing requirements.

The 2026 Arkansas AG Opinion

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued a formal opinion in early 2026 concluding that prediction market operators offering sports event contracts to AR residents must be licensed by the Arkansas Racing Commission under the state's sports wagering framework. The opinion argues that sports event contracts function economically and operationally as sports wagering and therefore fall within the AR Racing Commission's exclusive licensing jurisdiction.

The AG opinion is non-binding (it is not a court ruling), but it signals the state's official enforcement posture. AG Griffin also joined the 39-state attorneys general coalition that filed amicus briefs supporting state regulatory authority over event contracts in the KalshiEX v. Flaherty Third Circuit↗ (opens in a new tab) case.

What Arkansas Residents Can Trade in 2026

Full federal prediction market catalog is accessible to AR residents 18+:

• NFL contracts — no NFL team in AR but strong cross-border engagement on Dallas Cowboys (heavy AR fanbase) and Kansas City Chiefs
• NCAA football and basketball — Arkansas Razorbacks football and basketball drive heavy AR-resident engagement on Kalshi every weekend during SEC↗ (opens in a new tab) season; full Big 12 and SEC contract coverage
• MLB — no AR team but cross-border Cardinals (St Louis) and Rangers (Texas) engagement
• Politics — 2026 midterms (AR Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' federal profile, AR congressional races), 2028 presidential, congressional control
• Economic data, crypto, culture, weather — full catalog

Best Platforms for Arkansas Residents

OG.com is our top pick for AR in 2026. Crypto.com's CFTC-regulated sports-first prediction market combines a 4-leg parlay builder, social trading feed, and live in-game contracts — and new traders can trade $25 and get $50 in rewards with code RANKPREDICTS. Kalshi remains a strong runner-up for the deepest non-sports catalog and lowest published fees.

Polymarket US offers strong politics and crypto liquidity, particularly relevant for AR residents who want to focus on non-sports markets given the state-law sports licensing demand.

Robinhood provides Kalshi-routed contracts inside the familiar Robinhood app.

DraftKings Predictions and FanDuel Predicts are interesting in AR because both companies also operate licensed AR mobile sportsbooks (FanDuel via Oaklawn, DraftKings via partnership). Users can keep sportsbook accounts for traditional bets and Predictions accounts for combo contracts and longer-dated futures with the same KYC.

How AR Compares to Neighboring States

• Louisiana: Available (as of October 3, 2026)
• Mississippi: Available (as of October 3, 2026)
• Oklahoma: Available (as of October 3, 2026)
• Tennessee: Available, dispute pending (as of October 3, 2026)
• Texas: Available (as of October 3, 2026)

Tax Considerations for Arkansas Residents

Arkansas has a graduated state income tax with a top rate of 4.4% (recently reduced from prior higher levels under Gov. Sanders' tax reform). Net gains from prediction market trading are taxable at federal level plus the AR state rate. Kalshi provides a profit-and-loss statement for your trades; platforms' 1099s mainly cover interest, rewards and crypto transfers.

AR residents who use both licensed AR sportsbooks (W-2G reporting) and prediction markets (platform profit-and-loss statements) should track each separately. AR's tax-friendly recent reforms make the state moderately favorable for active traders.

What could change the status

Dates we are watching: Nevada's responses to the Robinhood and Crypto.com Supreme Court petitions are now due November 13 and 16, 2026 (both extended in October), and Kalshi's response to New Jersey's petition is due November 9, 2026 (deadlines can be extended); the earliest the Supreme Court could act on the petitions is a conference in December 2026 or January 2027 (our estimate, not a scheduled date). We re-check this page when any of these happen and log the change above.

Best Platforms Compared

Status in Arkansas as of October 3, 2026

Platform	Status	Why (source)	Welcome offer in Arkansas
Kalshi	Available	Kalshi accepts Arkansas residents; no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in our legal timeline. (source (opens in a new tab))	Valid: Trade $25 and Get $25!
Polymarket US	Available	Polymarket US accepts Arkansas residents; no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in our legal timeline. (source (opens in a new tab))	Valid: Deposit $10 get a $25 Trading Bonus!
ProphetX	Available	ProphetX accepts Arkansas residents; no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in our legal timeline. (source (opens in a new tab))	Valid: Trade $50, Earn $75!
OG (by Crypto.com)	Available	OG accepts Arkansas residents; no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in our legal timeline. (source (opens in a new tab))	Valid: Trade $25 Get $50 in Rewards! (New users only)
Novig	Available	Novig accepts Arkansas residents; no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in our legal timeline. (source (opens in a new tab))	Valid: Deposit $10 Get $50 in Trade Credits!
Rebet	Available	Rebet is a sweepstakes app, not a CFTC-regulated exchange; its sweepstakes rules include Arkansas. (source (opens in a new tab))	Valid: Get a 100% purchase match up to $100!

What changed (newest first)

• Sep 25, 2026 (federal) — Sixth Circuit rules against Kalshi in Ohio and Tennessee appeals. Source: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (opinion, Nos. 26-3196/26-5235) (opens in a new tab)
• Sep 11, 2026 (federal) — Crypto.com asks Supreme Court to review Ninth Circuit ruling (No. 26-344). Source: Supreme Court of the United States, docket No. 26-344 (opens in a new tab)
• Sep 10, 2026 (federal) — Kalshi seeks Ninth Circuit rehearing; Robinhood petitions Supreme Court. Source: Sports Betting Dime (opens in a new tab)
• Sep 2, 2026 (federal) — New Jersey asks U.S. Supreme Court to review Kalshi preemption ruling. Source: New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (opens in a new tab)
• Aug 28, 2026 (federal) — Ninth Circuit rules for Nevada regulators in Kalshi case. Source: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (opinion, No. 25-7516) (opens in a new tab)
• Apr 6, 2026 (federal) — Third Circuit sides with Kalshi against New Jersey regulators. Source: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (opinion, No. 25-1922) (opens in a new tab)

_No Arkansas-specific entry is in the legal timeline; the list shows the federal rulings and Supreme Court petitions that shape the national picture._

Prediction markets in other states

• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wyoming
• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Puerto Rico
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Washington DC
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

§ References & Sources

1. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) (opens in a new tab)— U.S. federal regulator
2. CFTC Designated Contract Markets list (opens in a new tab)— CFTC
3. 26 U.S. Code § 1256 — Section 1256 contracts marked to market (opens in a new tab)— Cornell Law / U.S. Code
4. IRS Form 6781 — Gains and Losses From Section 1256 Contracts (opens in a new tab)— Internal Revenue Service
5. National Council on Problem Gambling — 1-800-GAMBLER (opens in a new tab)— NCPG

Frequently asked questions

Are prediction markets legal in Arkansas?

We don't give legal verdicts, but here is the status as of October 3, 2026: Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX, OG and Novig: Available. No court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in the legal timeline (absence is not proof). Nationally, federal appeals courts are split on sports event contracts, all at the preliminary-injunction stage, and three Supreme Court petitions are pending; none has been granted.

Can I use Kalshi in Arkansas?

Status as of October 3, 2026: Available. Kalshi accepts Arkansas residents; no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas was found in our legal timeline. Kalshi's welcome offer (Trade $25 and Get $25!) applies to Arkansas residents. Kalshi's minimum age is 18; we recommend 21+.

Has Arkansas taken action against prediction markets?

Our legal timeline has no court ruling or state enforcement action on prediction markets in Arkansas (that is not proof none exists). No federal appeals court covering Arkansas has ruled on sports event contracts.

What could change the status in Arkansas?

Dates we are watching: Nevada's responses to the Robinhood and Crypto.com Supreme Court petitions are now due November 13 and 16, 2026 (both extended in October), and Kalshi's response to New Jersey's petition is due November 9, 2026 (deadlines can be extended); the earliest the Supreme Court could act on the petitions is a conference in December 2026 or January 2027 (our estimate, not a scheduled date). We re-check this page when any of these happen and log the change above.