Title 23 — Public Utilities and Regulated Industries

This chapter shall be referred to and may be cited as the “Arkansas Horse Racing Law”.

Section 5-66-116 and all other acts and parts of acts inconsistent with any of the provisions of this chapter are expressly declared not to apply to any person, partnership, group, association, trust, or corporation engaged or participating in racing, or making or contributing to…

Nothing contained in this chapter shall in any way be construed to apply to any other method or manner of racing except the racing of horses as provided in this chapter.

(a) All permits or license fees, excise or privilege taxes, penalties, fines, costs, and other amounts received by the Arkansas Racing Commission under the provisions of this chapter shall be general revenues and shall be deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the Sta…

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration shall set a maximum number of racing passes to be printed and issued annually, and it shall not be less than the number printed in 1990. (b) (1) Racing passes provided to and accepted by members of the General Asse…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Casino licensee” means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, trust, or other entity holding a license issued by the Arkansas Racing Commission to conduct casino gaming at a casino; and(2) “Franchise holder” means any individual, c…

(a) A commission consisting of seven (7) members, to be known as the “Arkansas Racing Commission”, is created and established. (b) The members of the commission shall be appointed by the Governor for terms of five (5) years. The term of office shall commence on January 15 and sha…

(a) The Governor shall from time to time select from the membership of the Arkansas Racing Commission a chair and a vice chair. (b) (1) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration shall be ex officio director of the commission unless the Governor shall designate…

(a) (1) All meetings of the Arkansas Racing Commission shall be public, and it shall keep a complete record of its transactions, findings, and determinations.(2) The rules may provide for regular meetings and may provide for special meetings at the call of the Chair of the Arkans…

(a) Subject to the limitations and conditions as provided in this chapter or other applicable law, the Arkansas Racing Commission shall have sole jurisdiction over the business and the sport of horse racing in this state where the racing is permitted for any stake, purse, or rewa…

(a) (1) In the event any franchise holder or person is aggrieved by any action of the Arkansas Racing Commission, he or she shall be entitled to a hearing by the commission.(2) (A) The hearing shall be held at such place in the State of Arkansas and at such time as the commission…

(a) (1) Horse racing may be conducted in all political subdivisions of the State of Arkansas, in addition to the City of Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, where horse racing has been made lawful by Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 46, but only by the holder of a franchise gr…

(a) Any corporation desiring a franchise to conduct horse racing in any county in which a current franchise for horse racing is not held by another shall file its application therefor with the Arkansas Racing Commission and deposit with the commission the sum of five thousand dol…

The Arkansas Racing Commission shall not be authorized to grant, nor shall it grant, a franchise to any corporation to conduct horse racing in any county in this state unless the commission has been authorized to grant the franchise as expressed by the approval of a majority of t…

(a) (1) After receipt of the certification provided for in § 23-110-302(e), the Secretary of State shall cause to be published by one (1) insertion in a newspaper of general circulation published in each county of this state, not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty (60…

(a) (1) (A) If a majority of the qualified electors of the state voting on the question vote for authorizing the Arkansas Racing Commission to grant a franchise to conduct horse racing in the county, the corporation holding a temporary franchise shall, within ninety (90) days fol…

(a) After the elapse of not less than two (2) years next following the date of any election conducted pursuant to § 23-110-304, upon petitions filed with it containing the signatures of qualified electors of the county of not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the total number vo…

(a) Any franchise granted prior to July 1, 1957, to conduct horse racing in this state is validated, and the action of the authority granting the franchise is ratified and confirmed. (b) Whether or not the franchise has been granted for a definite period of time, the holder of su…

(a) (1) Each franchise holder under this chapter shall require each of its employees to complete a written application for employment. Among other things, the application shall state:(A) Whether the applicant is a registered voter in Arkansas; and(B) If the applicant is a registe…

(a) Any franchise holder or any person aiding or abetting in the holding or conducting of any horse racing meet at which horse racing shall be permitted for any stake, purse, or reward, except in accordance with a license duly issued as provided in this subchapter, shall be guilt…

(a) The total racing days during any calendar year shall not exceed sixty-eight (68). (b) A franchise holder shall apply for a license to conduct each racing meet and shall specify in the application for a license the racing days desired, which need not be consecutive. (c) (1) Th…

(a) Before any franchise holder shall conduct a racing meet in the county in which it holds a franchise, it shall file with the Arkansas Racing Commission an application to hold the meet and shall file the bond required by this chapter. (b) (1) Each application shall be filed wit…

A.C.A. § 23-110-404Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) (1) Any franchise holder conducting a horse racing meet may provide a place or places in the race meeting grounds or enclosure at which it may conduct and supervise the pari-mutuel or certificate system of wagering.(2) If conducted under the provisions of this chapter, the pa…

(a) Excepting only the moneys retained for the use and benefit of the franchise holder, the amounts paid to the Arkansas Racing Commission for the use and benefit of the State of Arkansas, the amount paid to the commission for deposit into the Arkansas Racing Commission Purse and…

(a) (1) At the racing meet held in calendar year 1989 and at the racing meet held in each calendar year thereafter, the franchise holder shall withhold not more than seventeen percent (17%) and not less than five and one-half percent (5.5%) of all moneys wagered on races in which…

A.C.A. § 23-110-408Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) The Arkansas Racing Commission Purse and Awards Fund shall be deposited by the Arkansas Racing Commission in such banks as the commission shall determine. (b) (1) In order to promote and encourage the development of thoroughbred horse breeding in Arkansas with its attendant e…

(a) (1) Breaks shall be computed on the basis of ten cents (10¢) on the dollar, and the odd cents or breaks are classified as special thoroughbred horse racing fees to be deposited and used as provided in this section.(2) Provided, in the event of a minus pool, the Arkansas Racin…

(a) Each franchise holder authorized to conduct a race meet under this chapter shall pay to the Arkansas Racing Commission for the use and benefit of the State of Arkansas either ten percent (10%) of all moneys received each day from admissions paid by persons attending the races…

(a) Every franchise holder conducting race meets under this chapter shall keep its books and records so as to clearly show the true number of admissions, the total amount of money contributed to each pari-mutuel pool on each race separately, and the amount of money received daily…

(a) The Arkansas Racing Commission shall at all times have access to any portion of the space or enclosure where a race meet is held, including the space or enclosure where the pari-mutuel or certificate system of wagering is conducted or supervised at any racing meet, for the pu…

Every franchise holder to which a license may be granted under this chapter at its own cost and expense shall, before the license is delivered, give a bond in the penal sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), payable to the Arkansas Racing Commission, with a surety to be approve…

(a) Any franchise holder failing or refusing to pay the amount found to be due the Arkansas Racing Commission from any tax provided for or imposed by this chapter shall be guilty of a violation and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars…