Arkansas Texas Holdem

Arkansas doesn’t offer much for Texas holdem players. While casinos don’t exist in the state, you can still wager on horse and greyhound racing provided it’s through pari-mutuel betting systems. On top of this they also participate in national lotteries and have some smaller state lotteries with most of the profits going towards college scholarships, which is a cool idea.

You can find two tracks in the state which offer racing, and now also have poker rooms because electronic games of skill are permitted if the local municipality approves their use.

These poker rooms are located at Oaklawn Racing & Gaming in Hot Springs National Park and at Southland Gaming & Racing in West Memphis. Both rooms only have electronic poker tables, because of the law, but they still see a vibrant community of players coming to the tables each week.

The most popular game in these poker rooms is no limit Texas holdem, and you’ll also find some Omaha and limit Texas holdem tables running most of the time. They also run a range of tournaments with a few freeroll events during the week. This is great as it attracts new players who want to start out in the game, which we all know is excellent for the poker community.

The standard of play in Arkansas is quite low due to the electronic tables and the limited gaming that’s available to players. This is a good thing as it means the games are more social and if you bring a good game you should be able to find a great edge on most tables. You’ll still come across the odd shark at the table though so proceed with caution and don’t flush your first buy in when you’re still assessing the level of play at the table.

Like the rest of the country online poker is illegal in Arkansas, as are home games. The lawmakers in this state have been known to come down hard on people who try to operate rooms or games illegally so proceed with caution if you wish to take this ill advisable route. Because of the geographic location of the state you should be able to hit up one of the two poker rooms, and if not you can always travel out of state to Missouri, Mississippi, or Oklahoma to find live poker action. This may also be a good option for you if you wish to play real Texas holdem poker with cards, chips, and a dealer.

One thing you should keep in mind and pass on to others is the fact that it’s illegal to run live poker games with dealers, cards, and chips in Arkansas. So, make sure you don’t negatively review these poker rooms online, in person, or by word of mouth because of this. Spread the word and that way we will see poker in Arkansas live on and only become more popular over time.

List of Online Arkansas Poker Rooms

Oaklawn Racing & Gaming

• Location: Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
• Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 12pm until 12am and Friday and Saturday from 12pm until 3am
• Tables: 5 electronic poker tables
• Games: You’ll find a no limit Texas holdem tournament in this poker room on most days of the week with it going dark sometimes on a Monday or Tuesday. The buy in ranges from free rolls up to $200. If you’re looking for a cash game you’ll come across both no limit holdem and pot limit Omaha games here at varying stakes.
• Ambience: This modern poker room features brown and gold decor in a well-lit and smoke free space. They have plenty of flat screen TVs on the walls to keep you entertained while you play and the leather chairs and brown felt tables are comfortable and clean.
• Hospitality: You can earn comps in this poker room while you play through the Winners Circle Rewards Club. On top of this they provide you with cocktail and food service at the table and have a $100,000 bad beat jackpot. Finally, they also run a range of promotions during the week including splashed pots and high hand prizes.
• Players: You’ll find some decent players in this poker room grinding it out on the electronic poker tables. The best action will come during the tournaments with the loosest players participating during that time. If you’re trying to find an edge you’ll need to bring a solid game as a few regulars grace the tables throughout the week. The fact this room runs electronic tables is a bit of a worry, and it turns a lot of players away. If you can see past this, you’ll probably find a lot more amateurs at the table as the electronic tables allow for smaller stakes and a less intimidating environment for new players.

Southland Park Gaming & Racing

• Location: West Memphis, Arkansas
• Hours: Monday to Friday from 4pm until 4am and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm until 4am
• Tables: 6 electronic poker tables
• Games: For cash players, they spread $2 / $4 and $3 / $6 limit holdem, $1 / $2 and $2 / $5 no limit Texas holdem, $2 / $4 limit Omaha, $2 / $4 and $4 / $8 Omaha high low kill, $1 / $3 pot limit Omaha and $1 / $3 pot limit Omaha kill. For the tournament players, they offer a no limit holdem event each day of the week with the buy in ranging from a free roll on the first Sunday of the month and each Tuesday up to $45 for the usual Sunday tournament.
• Ambience: Red and black carpets clash against the green table felt and even brighter red chairs in this well-lit and somewhat sterile poker room. The decor is like an old-school class room with plain beige and white walls and ceiling, and not too much effort has gone in to the place. It’s completely non-smoking and they have TVs on the walls so you can watch your favorite sports teams while you play.
• Hospitality: You can earn comps while you play in the Southland Park poker room through the Player Rewards club. On top of this they will serve you cocktails and food at the table while you play and they also offer a bad beat jackpot in both hold’em and Omaha cash games.
• Players: The play is soft in this poker room and if you play solid aggressive poker you should be able to clean out once you ride out the natural variance in the game. A lot of the players don’t have much of an idea how to play and seem to be greyhound race fans who just want to sit down and try out poker for a little bit to either chase their losses from the track, or expand on their winnings. In any case the overall vibe of the room is fun and boisterous with no one taking the poker too seriously. The service staff and room management can be a bit hit and miss in this room, however, if they improve this or you get them on a good day then you should have a lot of fun playing here on their electronic tables.

Conclusion

Arkansas doesn’t offer many options for Texas holdem players. The two legal places to enjoy poker can only do so using electronic tables so even if you do play it may be an odd experience. The state is also one of the few who takes a hard stand against private and home games, so be especially careful if you’re invited to a game.