PINE BLUFF, Ark. — According to Saracen, the casino resort has now launched its online sports wagering app, BetSaracen.
Players can either download the app from the Apple App Store or by clicking through the download links at BetSaracen.com.
Players can also place wagers within the website itself. With the launch, BetSaracen will match first deposits up to $500 in free play.
“Our Saracen Team has worked day and night for months to finally bring a first-class, Arkansas-based Sports Wagering App platform to the state’s many sports fans,” Saracen CMO, Carlton Saffa said.
Saracen Casino Resort partnered with Amelco-UK, Limited, a globally recognized sports betting platform provider with industry-leading technology, to develop the BetSaracen platform.
Online sports wagering became legal in Arkansas on March 4, after legislative approval from the Arkansas Joint Budget Committee.
While neighboring states Louisiana and Tennessee each took over a year to proceed from legalization to launch, BetSaracen is now live from about 2 months from legalization.
This is the second online mobile sportsbook available in Arkansas, following Southland Casino in West Memphis.
Neal Atkinson, Director of Table Games at Saracen, says they're still waiting on Visa and Mastercard support, but they just recently updated to have PayPal support. Atkinson says users can use direct deposit or a digital wallet in the app.
"It will get better each and every tie we do a new release," Atkinson said. "We expect to do a lot of upgrading."
There is major money to be gained off this, especially for the Pine Bluff region. According to casino officials, $280,000 in tax revenue was generated last year for their sportsbook.
8% of that goes to the county, and 19.5% goes to the city the casino is in.
"The state gets it's percentage of that, which is going to be a huge benefit, and that's a big number," Atkinson said.
It's why Atkinson says they're not worried that they're not the first mobile sports betting app in Arkansas – they'll take care of the city all the same.
"This is the app for Arkansas, this is for every Arkansan, whether you live in the Northern part of the state, the Southern, East or West," he said. "This is the app that you want to use."