Proposal Would Legalize Internet Gambling, Keno Under State Lottery

Arkansas Lottery, Gambling,

On Monday Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R – Russellville) filed H.B. 1869 legalizing iLottery and Keno in Arkansas under the auspices of the state-run lottery.

H.B. 1869 would let Arkansans use a smart phone, tablet, computer, or other electronic device to gamble on the Arkansas Lottery via the Internet. It also would permit Keno in Arkansas — which is a controversial casino-style game.

Lottery officials lobbied unsuccessfully for Keno in 2013 and 2014, but lawmakers soundly rejected that proposal.

Keno is different from other lottery games. Drawings for Keno usually take place every few minutes rather than once a day, and the odds of winning a jackpot prize tend to be worse than other lottery games.

Its fast pace makes Keno a popular casino game, because players can pick numbers and place bets over and over again in a short amount of time.

As a result, Keno often is played in a live room full of gamblers.

One of the reasons lawmakers rejected Keno a few years ago is that they did not want the State Lottery creating miniature casinos in bars, convenience stores, and gas stations across Arkansas.

The way H.B. 1869 is written, Arkansas could end up with miniature casinos that offer Keno, and Arkansans may even be able to play Keno non-stop on their cell phones.

If the Arkansas Lottery authorizes Keno — and especially if lottery officials make it possible for people to gamble online — that’s going to increase problem gambling and gambling addiction in Arkansas. That makes H.B. 1869 a bad bill.

Read H.B. 1869 Here.

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Report Shows Gambling Group Had Little Activity in April

Gambling, ,

The group Arcade Arkansas has spent more than half a million dollars on an effort to legalize thousands of casino-style gambling machines across Arkansas.

The group’s proposed constitutional amendment would allow some 15,000 gambling machines statewide under the Arkansas Lottery, and it could create miniature casinos all over the state — with little or no oversight to prevent fraud or corruption.

The group has put serious money into its effort. But Arcade Arkansas recently filed reports with the Arkansas Ethics Commission showing it conducted virtually no activity last month.

This tracks with reports in March that the group was temporarily suspending its campaign efforts amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

In February, Arkansas Lottery Director Bishop Woosley announced that he opposes the effort to legalize casino-style gambling under the auspices of state lottery.

Arcade Arkansas has until July 3 to gather nearly 90,000 valid petition signatures in order to place their proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

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Slot Machine Group Spends $77K on Petition Drive

Casinos, Gambling,

In February the group Arcade Arkansas spent more than $77,000 on its effort to put a gambling-machine amendment on the ballot this November, according to documents filed with the Arkansas Ethics Commission earlier this month.

The group’s proposal would legalize some 15,000 gambling machines statewide under the Arkansas Lottery and could create miniature casinos all over the state — with little or no oversight to prevent fraud or corruption.

In February the State Lottery Director came out against the proposal.

While the group has put serious money into its effort to amend the Arkansas Constitution, Arcade Arkansas reportedly has suspended its petition drive amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Meanwhile, the group Protect Arkansas Communities received approximately $400,000 in February from the corporations that own the casinos at Oaklawn, Southland, and Saracen.

Protect Arkansas Communities is opposing Arcade Arkansas’ gambling amendment.

Casino gambling is linked to homelessness, domestic violence, divorce, and bankruptcy.

Arkansas’ counties with casinos also have high poverty rates.

To put it plainly, gambling is a blight on the community.

Arkansas already has enough problems from casino gambling. We don’t need any more.

Photo Credit: Win win win! by Domas Mituzas, on Flickr

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