Online Poker in Arkansas: Best AR Online Poker Sites 2025
Arkansas may be seen as a fairly conservative state, but it has a surprising number of gambling options available. They may not be the most glamorous or the largest, but they are there, and that would surprise many people. With that being said, there are still some forms of gaming that are not present, and regulated real-money online poker in Arkansas would be at the top of that list.
While regulated online poker is likely a ways off in the future, offshore gambling sites, including Ignition Poker, are excellent options now and offer rewards that beat what any licensed site for online poker in Arkansas could offer.
|
2. Online Poker Legal? 3. Best AR Poker Sites 4. How to Play Online Poker
5.1. Game Selection 5.2. Cashier Methods 5.3. Bonuses & Promos 5.4. Rakeback
6.1. Ignition 6.2. SB Poker/BOL 6.3. Bovada 6.4. ACR Poker 6.5. CoinPoker 6.6. Everygame 6.7. SwCPoker 6.8. Nitrobetting
7.1. B&M Poker7.2. Poker History 7.3. Famous Poker Players 7.4f. Alternatives to AR Online Poker
Top Online Poker Sites in Arkansas
The poker sites available online to Arkansans are numerous, so it's worthwhile to narrow the field down somewhat before registering an account at one. We've reviewed all the pertinent info on these rooms and have whittled them down to only those that are honest and reputable.
No matter which of these sites you opt to join, you'll be able to take advantage of their first-class customer service, slick and functional software, and dedication to paying out winnings swiftly. Pore over our mini-reviews below, and then pick out an online poker home.
Is Online Poker Legal in Arkansas?
Arkansas law is weird in that it specifically criminalizes playing poker, but the maximum penalty is a trivial $25 fine. Even this nugatory punishment is never handed out to online poker players. If you wish to play poker from your computer or mobile device, you have next to zero chance of falling afoul of AR law.
Best Arkansas Online Poker Sites
There are many possibilities for real money gaming online from within Arkansas, which means that it's not always easy to find the best sites for poker. Regardless of which of the below poker rooms you join, you'll be able to enjoy a variety of games and stakes, the quick payment of your winnings, and fair randomization of the deal.
- Ignition Casino - Best bonus clearance + most traffic.
- SB Poker - Bad Beat Jackpots, leaderboards, contests, other promos.
- BetOnline - Excellent mobile poker software.
- Bovada - Multiple forms of gaming (poker, casino, sports, horses).
- ACR Poker - Lucrative tournament schedule and frequent series.
- Coin Poker - Best site for cryptocurrency enthusiasts.
- Everygame - Many bonuses and promotions.
- SwCPoker - Many poker variants (NLHE, PLO, PLO8, Razz, HORSE, and more).
- Nitrobetting - Bitcoin games, in-browser software.
- BlackChip Poker - ACR sister site, option if you already have an ACR account.
- Juicy Stakes - Rakeback, reloads, rake races, other promotions.
- True Poker - Secondary room on same network as ACRPoker and BlackChip.
How to Play Online Poker in Arkansas
We've included easy instructions below for how to sign up to our #1 rated Arkansas online poker site, Ignition Poker. The specific steps listed may be slightly different depending on the site you choose to register for, but they should mostly follow the format as Ignition.
- Click on our link to go to Ignition Casino and open up your new account.
- Complete the signup form that appears in your web browser. Be sure to use your true and accurate personal information because you'll eventually have to complete ID verification before being able to withdraw your winnings, and you don't want there to be any discrepancies that might hold up the process.
- Once you've completed the signup form, press the “Register” button on the bottom of the page
- Ignition may send a text message to your registered mobile phone to verify that you are who you claim to be. Enter the code sent to your phone in the space indicated on Ignition's website.
- After your account is created, you can make a deposit. Open up the cashier section of the webpage and complete the depositing process with your chosen payment method (we recommend Bitcoin)
How We Evaluate Arkansas Online Poker Sites
There are many online poker sites for Arkansas residents, and they each do things a bit differently. In order to identify the best Arkansas online poker rooms, we evaluate them according to a set of criteria and use these metrics to determine which ones are worth recommending.
Game Selection
Different sites offer different lineups of games. No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Pot Limit Omaha/8 cash games are the basics and are found at almost all sites, but even within these three basic formats, the blind levels offered vary between rooms. Some poker rooms have additional poker variants, like Stud, Limit Omaha/8, and HORSE, too.
SNGs and tournament schedules also tend to change drastically from site to site. Some host freerolls, satellites to live tourneys, tournament series, and other special events.
Deposit/Withdrawal Methods
Getting money on to and off of online poker sites is an essential aspect of their operations. Most poker rooms support credit cards, money transfers, checks, and other familiar payment methods.
However, almost all of them now also transact in Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies. These innovative financial instruments enable speedy, relatively anonymous transactions with low fees and little governmental interference.
If you're not yet familiar with the world of Bitcoin, check out this guide to using BTC for online poker.
Bonuses/Promotions
Most poker sites provide welcome bonuses to new players. A bonus might be expressed as something like, “100% up to $1,000 on your first deposit.” This means that whatever amount you deposit, it will be matched by the percentage indicated up to the maximum value (in this case $1,000).
Bonuses aren't available for withdrawal right away. In most cases, they will slowly be paid out as you play until the entire amount is converted to cash in your account or the bonus expires.
Other promotions, like leaderboards, redeposit bonuses, rake races, and missions, deliver their value over time. Some of them are seasonal and change frequently while others are more or less permanent.
Online Poker Rakeback
There's a special type of promotion called rakeback that is provided by several online poker sites. This is an ongoing rebate on the rake you pay at the tables, and it often lasts for the lifetime of your account.
Rakeback is legitimately one of the best tools for boosting your bottom line as an online poker player. We appreciate the benefits of rakeback so much that it's part of the name of our site, Professional Rakeback.
There are several sites for online poker in Arkansas that offer rakeback, and you can sign up for them below:
- ACR Poker – 27% rakeback paid on demand
- CoinPoker – 33% rakeback paid every Monday (must hold CHP token balance)
- Everygame – 36% rakeback paid daily
- SwCPoker – up to 50% rakeback (volume dependent)
- BlackChip Poker – 27% rakeback paid on demand
- Juicy Stakes Poker – 36% rakeback paid weekly
- True Poker – 27% rakeback paid on demand
Reviews of Online Poker Sites for Arkansas
Now, let's get into the details of each of our recommended AR online poker sites. We'll give you solid facts, gleaned from our extensive experience at each site, so that you can decide which one best suits your preferences and style of play.
Ignition Casino Poker
Deposit Methods
Credit Card, Voucher Code, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, MatchPay
Pros
- Great player traffic numbers
- Excellent bonus clearance
- Soft games
Cons
- Anonymous tables may annoy some players
Review
Ignition has games aplenty, including NL Hold'em, PLO, PLO/8, Limit Hold'em, fast-fold Zone Poker, lottery-style Jackpots, and a full complement of single- and multi-table tournaments for your enjoyment. Cash game blinds range from $0.02/$0.05 to $10/$20 for the big-bet games.
Of the internet poker venues serving Arizonians, this one has the most player traffic and therefore the greatest number of games running. Of particular note are the $150,000 Guaranteed, a Sunday tourney with a $150 + $12 buyin, and frequent MTT series that award millions in prizes.
Ignition is the home of anonymized poker, which means there are no screennames, and users are simply assigned a player number upon taking a seat. This means you cannot track your opponents' play over time and get a bead on them over the long term, but it also makes newer players feel comfortable and thus leads to some truly soft tables.
Ignition provides installers for Windows and Mac users, and you can play on the web with most smartphones and tablets. New poker players receive a 150% up to $1,500 Bitcoin deposit bonus as well as another $1,500 casino bonus.
SB Poker/BetOnline
Deposit Methods
Credit Cards, Person to Person, Money Orders, Bank Wire, Cashiers Check, Bitcoin, Avalanche, Binance, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Polygon, Ripple, Shiba Inu, Solana, Stellar, Tether, Tron, USD Coin
Pros
- Great mobile client
- Attached casino, live dealer, sportsbook, and racebook
- Bad beat jackpots, contests, leaderboards
Cons
- Rake higher than average
At SB Poker and BetOnline, which are partner sites, you can partake in NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, PLO Hi-Lo, 5 Card PLO, and 6 Card PLO from micro-stakes up through $5/$10. There are also pools of Boost, a fast-fold poker variant. One drawback of these rooms is the high rake.
A full SNG lobby beckons, and there are lottery-style Windfall contests too. A robust weekly tourney schedule completes the picture at Sportsbetting.ag. All Hold'em and Omaha cash game levels have bad beat jackpots, and you can get more free money from contests and leaderboards in the poker client.
Beyond its Mac and Windows desktop software, SB Poker also hosts an excellent mobile poker solution, which contains almost the entire complement of games. Make your first deposit to get a 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus as well as various promos in the sportsbook, racebook, and casino.
Bovada
Deposit Methods
Credit Card, Voucher Code, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, MatchPay
Pros
- All-in-One Gambling Platform (poker, casino, sports betting, racebook)
- Crossover traffic from sportsbook and casino means soft tables full of gamblers
Cons
- Bonus is smaller than average
Review
Bovada's a sister site of Ignition, so the poker games and tables are 99%+ the same. Yet, Bovada offers an advantage that Ignition lacks: a sportsbook. Whether you're a fan of baseball, football, soccer, hockey, or more obscure contests, you'll likely be able to place all the bets you want at Bovada. There's horse racing and eSports betting too!
The poker welcome bonus is only one-third as large as Ignition's at $500. However, it clears just as fast.
You can download and run Bovada on your Windows or Mac OS machine, and the web client allows those with iOS and Android systems to play too. The poker bonus here is 100% up to $500, and there's up to $750 in bonus money for sports and up to $3,750 to use in the casino.
ACR Poker
Deposit Methods
Credit Cards, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Money Transfer
Pros
- Largest tournaments with massive prize pools
- Big bonus: 100% up to $2,000
- $10 free with bonus code PRB10FREE
Cons
- Late registration often exceeds 3 hours, making MTTs take a long time to conclude
Review
ACR Poker is renowned for its tournament schedule, which has been growing year by year. There's a robust weekly MTT lineup, several series throughout the year, and amazing $5M+ VENOM tournaments a couple of times annually.
Of course, you can get your fill of standard poker fare here too, like NLHE, PLO, PLO/8, 7 Card Stud, LO8, and Limit Hold'em cash games at stakes as low as $0.01/$0.02 and as high as $200/$400. Jackpot Poker with randomized multipliers and Blitz fast-fold games offer a change of pace.
The standard ACR client runs on on PCs and Macs, but there's also a mobile product available for smartphone and tablet users. Enter the PRB-exclusive ACR bonus code PRB10FREE to redeem $10 free; then, deposit for a 100% up to $2,000 bonus match.
Coin Poker
Deposit Methods
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, CHP, Polygon, BNB
Pros
- Largest crypto-only poker site
- Up to 33% rakeback for holders of proprietary CHP token
Cons
- Only a few poker variants offered
Review
CoinPoker is the largest of the crypto-only poker rooms that eschew the use of traditional fiat currency. You can fund your account with Bitcoin, Ether, Tether, and several other coins while conducting withdrawals in a similar manner. Meanwhile, all games are denominated in Tether (USDT). The game selection is a bit limited because you can play only NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, and 5 Card Omaha ring games, and the only sit-n-goes are three-player, lottery-style Cosmic Spins.
This room extends to new users an excellent deposit bonus of 150% up to $2,000. Also, you can obtain 33% rakeback paid weekly as long as you're willing to invest a modest amount in this room's proprietary crypto coin, called CHP.
Everygame
Deposit Methods
Credit Card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Lightning Bitcoin, Litecoin
Pros
- Bonus clears rapidly
- 36% rakeback standard
- Many promotions and reload bonuses
Cons
- Limited player traffic
- Default poker transfer limits are low
Review
Everygame is a small poker room with just a handful of games simultaneously active, but it makes up for its modest size with a wealth of promotions for its loyal players. First of all, you'll get 36% rakeback for life plus the chance to compete in rake races every week. Then there's the loyalty program, freerolls, frequent reload bonuses, tourneys with overlays, and more.
Everygame's poker client is designed for Windows PCs only, but there's an Instant Play web interface that lets Mac users and mobile owners play also. The initial deposit bonus is 200% up to $1,000 plus 25 free slot spins.
SwCPoker
Deposit Methods
Bitcoin
Pros
- Comprehensive menu of poker variants offered
- No-rake micro-stakes tables
- Up to 50% rakeback through Krill rewards
Cons
- Low player volume
Review
SwCPoker is especially valued by players who enjoy multiple forms of poker. Not only are Hold'em, Omaha, and Stud present, but also more obscure variants, like Razz, Open Face Chinese, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball, and mixed games. However, player participation across all these game types is somewhat lacking. You'll have to be willing to start games and sit shorthanded if you wish to log any significant number of hands at SwC.
Nitrobetting
Deposit Methods
Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, USD Coin, BNB
Pros
- In-browser play for wide cross-platform compatibility
- Up to 35% rakeback through Nitro rewards
Cons
- Limited gaming lineup of just NL Hold'em and PLO
- Very low player traffic
Review
Nitrobetting is a cardroom that uses Bitcoin exclusively for all gameplay though you can deposit and withdraw via several other cryptos. There are a few tournaments and SNGs here, but most of the action is in NLHE ring games.
Facts About the Arkansas Poker Industry
This section will provide factual information regarding the laws and legality of online poker and gambling within the state of Arkansas, land-based gambling information, current and future state regulations, and the history of poker and gambling across the state.
Live Arkansas Poker
There is only one option for live poker within the state: the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, which is a tribal casino. There are 10 tables, but the room isn't even open 24/7; it's restricted to a max of 16 hours a day, and some days, it's open for even fewer hours. There are NLHE and PLO cash games and low-buyin tournaments on offer.
Competing racinos Oaklawn Park and Southland Casino used to offer poker tables, but the decision was made to stop doing so several years ago.
Gambling History of Arkansas
Arkansas has had a colorful history with gambling, including during the post-Civil War period when Hot Springs became a gaming Mecca with so many operators vying for market share that they even had a gunfight in 1899 wherein five people were killed. Hot Springs remained a staple of the underground gambling economy until Governor Winthrop Rockefeller ordered a harsh crackdown in the late '60s. The Prohibition Era too saw a lot of action what with distinguished gentlemen like Owney “The Killer” Madden operating speakeasies and hotels where gambling was rife.
On the legalized front, things moved slowly but have been picking up the pace in recent years. Parimutuel betting was authorized in 1935. The new century saw a type of video lottery terminal installed in racinos in 2000 followed by electronic table games in 2005. Bingo was legalized in 2007, a state lottery the following year, Daily Fantasy sports in 2017, retail sports betting in 2018, and online sports betting in 2022. The first tribal casino opened in 2019.
Famous Arkansas Poker Players
Arkansas hasn't exactly set the poker world on fire with its crop of players; yet, it has produced at least one person who has changed the face of the game. Bill Boyd (1906 - 1997) was born in McNeil, Arkansas but found his fame in Las Vegas. It was he, as cardroom manager of the Golden Nugget, who first introduced Omaha poker to the public in the early '80s. Boyd is also notable as the only individual to win 5 Card Stud events at the World Series of Poker, which he did four times (1971 - 1974).
Alternatives to Registering Your Account in the State of Arkansas
Folks who are lucky enough to have another address in a nearby state, be it a business address, vacation home, second apartment, family estate, etc, may have other online poker options available. Here is a list of the states that border Arkansas and Professional Rakeback's review on each of them: Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. If you don't really have anything to do with any of these specific states, then our informative page on online poker in the United States might be useful to you.
Summary of Online Poker in Arkansas
Despite its reputation as an anti-gambling state, there are no legal roadblocks to playing online poker in Arkansas. Select an enticing Arkansas online poker room, and open up an account today. You'll soon be on your way to accumulating poker profits.
Responsible Gaming
We here at ProfessionalRakeback find online poker to be a fun, engaging, and intellectually stimulating hobby. However, we recognize that there are some who struggle with gambling addiction. If you think you might have a problem, please feel free to check out the following resources:
Frequently Asked Questions
Though we've tried to be as comprehensive as possible in our Arkansas online poker guide, you may still have additional questions. Look below for a rundown of some of the most frequent queries about online poker in Arkansas along with the answers.
Yes, playing online poker in Arkansas is effectively legal. There is some wording in the state statutes that could subject you to an exorbitant fine of between $10 and $25. Yet, even this slap-on-the-wrist law is never actually enforced against those who indulge in a few online card games on their computers.
Yes, PokerStars is doing nothing illegal by offering its services to Arkansawyers. However, these services are limited to play-for-free games rather than real money tables.
As is the case in many states, the State of Arkansas has two separate gambling ages depending on the type of betting activity. In order to purchase lottery tickets, participate in charitable gaming, or place parimutuel wagers, you have to be at least 18 years old. If you want to sample casino gaming, poker, regulated sports betting, or daily fantasy sports, then 21 is the minimum age.
Online, the rule that applies is: You must be at least 18 years of age to open an account. Should you be below this age, then we urge you to avoid setting up online accounts for poker or other gaming.
There are a variety of mechanisms for getting money on to and off of internet poker rooms, including credit cards, bank wires, and money transfer services. However, many of these payment channels come with hefty fees, the possibility of a transaction being declined, or excessive waiting times before receiving your money.
Not only do many internet poker sites support Bitcoin, some of them have begun accepting other digital coins, like Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum, as well.
Yes, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration considers gambling wins to be a type of personal income, and they are therefore subject to taxation. The Internal Revenue Service feels the same way.
Unless you want to take the risk of running afoul of these agencies (not recommended), you ought to pay the state and federal income taxes you owe on your online poker winnings. If you're unsure of how to fill out the necessary paperwork properly, then you ought to consult with a tax lawyer or trained accountant.
Yes, there are many online poker sites that work on phones and tablets. Almost every one of them provides software for these platforms. This sometimes takes the form of dedicated apps that you can download for your device. In other cases, there's a web-based interface that works on multiple types of systems, including mobiles.
Additional Resources
These Arkansas gambling resources will assist you in gaining more knowledge about the subject:
We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!