Arkansas casino tax revenue up more than 5% in 2025
by January 24, 2026 12:31 pm 908 views
A table game and Southland Casino
The three casinos in Arkansas generated almost $116 million in tax revenue in 2025, with the three counties and towns in which the operations are located receiving a combined almost $32 million, according to Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) numbers.
Wager and tax information from DFA shows that tax revenue from the three casinos totaled $115.975 million in 2025, up 5.4% compared with $110.004 million in 2024.
Under distribution rules set by Amendment 100, casino revenue is taxed at 13% up to $150 million. When a casino reaches $150 million in revenue within a one-year period, the remaining revenue is taxed at 20% until the year is complete. Of the tax revenue, 55% goes to the state’s general revenue fund, 17.5% goes to the Arkansas Racing Commission purse and awards fund to support live racing purses at Oaklawn, 8% goes to the county in which the casino is located, and 19.5% goes to the city or town in which the casino is located.
Southland Casino in West Memphis had the most 2025 tax revenue, with $58.392 million, up 1.9% compared with $57.285 million in 2024. Tax revenue hit a high of $6.337 million in March, and a low of $3.552 million in September. Of the Southland tax revenue, $11.386 million was directed to West Memphis, and $4.671 million to Crittenden County.
The Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff delivered $30.388 million in 2025 tax revenue, up 12.7% compared with $26.954 million in 2024. The tax revenue set a high of $3.948 million in May, and a low of $2.05 million in September. Of the Saracen tax revenue, Pine Bluff received $5.925 million and $2.431 million was received by Jefferson County.
Hot Springs-based Oaklawn, which has a casino and live horse racing, had 2025 tax revenue of $27.194 million, up 5.5% compared with $25.764 million in 2024. The operation had the highest monthly revenue of $3.177 million in May, and a low of $1.963 million in February. Of the Oaklawn tax revenue, $5.302 million went to Hot Springs, and $2.175 million to Garland County.
While each city and county is different, the local governments primarily use their casino tax revenue for debt reduction, infrastructure construction and renovation, public safety facilities and programs, build reserve funds, and economic development support, including workforce training.
“It was a strong year for the state’s three casinos,” said DFA Spokesperson Scott Hardin. “We had significant growth in sports betting, with wagers totaling $655 million, a year to year increase of $98 million. Approximately $116 million in tax revenue was generated, with more than $31 million of that total remaining local, in the cities and counties that are home to casinos.”
RECENT CASINO HISTORY
In 2018, voters statewide approved licenses for casino operations in Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson and Pope counties. Three casinos are now operating under those licenses at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Southland in West Memphis, and Saracen in Pine Bluff.
Legal battles between the Cherokee Nation and the Choctaw Nation resulted in Pope County no longer being able to have a casino. Almost 56% of Arkansas voters on Nov. 5, 2024 approved Issue 2, a constitutional amendment – Amendment 104 – that would require local voter approval in a countywide election for any future casino licenses while also repealing the state’s authority to issue a casino license in Pope County and revoking the existing Pope County casino license.
In August 2025, Cherokee Nation Businesses would lose a court battle to retain the right to build a casino in Pope County.