The wait is over for bettors in Arkansas eager to try BetSaracen, a mobile sports betting platform offered by Saracen Casino Resort. After a couple months of unanticipated delay, BetSaracen went live Tuesday.
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Details: https://t.co/Yb7uC1w7d9 pic.twitter.com/kJT8y7EVCD
— BetSaracen (@BetSaracen) May 10, 2022
“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’s chief marketing officer, Carlton Saffa, said in a press release.
BetSaracen joins Betly, which is offered through Southland Casino, as legal online betting platforms in Arkansas. Betly and BetSaracen each offer iOS and Android betting apps.
Oaklawn Racing Casino plans to launch a betting app of its own in the coming months, giving Arkansans at least one more platform to choose from moving forward.
Launch finally happens
Saracen Casino executives had hoped to launch BetSaracen by March Madness, but the timeline to go from legalization of mobile sports wagering to an operational app took longer than planned. The delay frustrated Arkansas bettors, who questioned why Saracen executives would promise such a fast timeline if they couldn’t deliver.
Southland Casino officials didn’t offer many updates about their own betting app during the launch process, but Betly’s Arkansas platform reached users before BetSaracen was live. Some users have complained about Betly’s deposit and withdrawal methods, however, and the platform didn’t include NHL lines when it first launched in the state.
BetSaracen’s launch enhances competition within the state’s legal mobile sports betting market. A quick scan on the platform’s web browser shows an easy-to-use interface with fair lines on a wide assortment of sporting events.
For the first time in months, BetSaracen’s Twitter feed was filled with positive feedback from followers.
Thank you‼️ all we wanted
— Ea💲yⓂ️🅾️NEY🅱️ (@EasyMoneyB22) May 10, 2022
Big names not in Arkansas
The future of Arkansas mobile sports betting could depend partially on the success of BetSaracen. Due to the state’s unique revenue-sharing rule limiting their profit potential, big-name operators like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel aren’t that interested in entering the Arkansas betting market. That’s good news for the state’s casinos, which could see significant revenue with minimal in-state competition.
For consumers, however, there could be some frustrations. Will Betly and BetSaracen — and Oaklawn once it arrives — be sufficient to satisfy consumer’s betting desires? How will the apps stack up when compared to national operators?
If the local casinos struggle with their sports betting apps, the Arkansas Racing Commission may eventually opt to reconsider the revenue-sharing rule. On the flip side, given the lack of major operators in the space, if BetSaracen offers a superior product to its regional competitors, it could end up dominating the Arkansas betting market.
