Officials at Oaklawn maintain their games are “electronic games of skill,” and not casino games. Watch this interview below; look at the machines in the footage; and then decide whether or not these look like games you would see in a casino.
In 2005 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1151 authorizing West Memphis and Hot Springs to call special elections regarding “electronic games of skill” at their horse and greyhound tracks.
We said in 2005 that this legislation could make Oaklawn and Southland into de facto casinos. At the time we were assured casino-style gambling would not happen there—that each game would be electronic and involve some degree of skill on the part of the player. Within months of Act 1151’s passage, however, both tracks had casino-style games.
On Friday, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel grudgingly approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would grant a private company a virtual monopoly on casino gambling in Arkansas.
The amendment offers a broad definition of casino gambling (basically, it’s a wager of any kind), and dictates that the Arkansas Legislature will simply not regulate casino gaming in Arkansas. Obviously, that should give everyone pause. Specifically, it says, “Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, neither the General Assembly nor any political subdivision of this State shall enact any legislation, rule, or regulation regarding the operation of casino gaming as defined in this Amendment.”