Electronic Wagers Off To A Fast Start In 2013

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 70 views 

The latest statistics released by the Arkansas Racing Commission show that casino-style gambling at Oaklawn and Southland are off to a fast start in 2013.

Both tracks saw double-digit increases in electronic games of skill (EGS) wagering in January versus the previous year’s first month.

Hot Springs-based Oaklawn posted January EGS wagers of $79.877 million, a 22% increase from January 2012.

West Memphis-based Southland totaled $148.262 million in EGS wagers in January 2013, a 13% uptick from the previous year.

The increase in wagers could bode well for the two racetrack’s casino operations, which saw $2.718 billion in combined EGS wagers in 2012. That 12-month total was roughly 38% higher from the previous year.

EGS wagers include gambling spent on video blackjack, poker, slot machines and other casino-style games.