An Amendment to Require Four Licenses to be Issued for Casino Gaming at Casinos, One Each in Crittenden (to Southland Racing Corporation), Garland (to Oaklawn Jockey Club, Inc.), Pope, and Jefferson Counties

Arkansas Ballot Measure - Issue 4

Election: Nov. 6, 2018 (General)

Outcome: Passed

Categories:

Gambling and Gaming
Food Processing and Sales

Summary


This amendment asks voters to add a section to the Arkansas Constitution to authorize four casinos to operate in the state. If approved by voters, this amendment would:
1. Authorize four casinos to operate in the state, one in Jefferson County within two miles of Pine Bluff, one in Pope County within two miles of Russellville, one at or adjacent to Oaklawn Jockey Club in Garland County, and one at or adjacent to Southland Racing Corporation in Crittenden County.
2. Define what type of casino gaming may occur at the four casinos.
3. Prohibit people under 21 from gambling.
4. Assign the Arkansas Racing Commission to regulate the licensing and operation of the casinos.
5. Require the legislature to enact laws and appropriate funds for use by the Arkansas Racing Commission.
6. Establish minimum requirements for who can receive casino licenses in Jefferson and Pope County and require licensees to conduct casino gaming for as long as they have a license.
7. Require Arkansas Racing Commission to fund and work with Department of Human Services to implement and administer compulsive gambling disorder educational programs.
8. Authorize the Arkansas Department of Human Services to make rules to administer compulsive gambling disorder educational programs.
9. Establish tax rates on casino gaming net receipts and how that revenue is distributed.
10. Require greyhound and horse raising operators to contribute to racing purses and awards and for Southland to set aside money for capital improvements to its racing facilities.
11. Allow the casinos to operate any day, all day.
12. Allow the casinos to serve alcohol during all hours in which gaming takes place, regardless of whether the casino is located in a dry city or county.
13. Require casinos purchase alcohol from a licensed Arkansas wholesaler.
14. Permit the shipment of gaming devices to the casinos.
15. Establish that the amendment would not affect current laws regarding greyhound and horse racing, other gambling, bingos and raffles, the state scholarship lottery, or electronic games of skill.
16. Declare any state laws in conflict with this amendment would not apply to this amendment.

Measure Text


An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to require that the Arkansas Racing Commission issue licenses for casino gaming to be conducted at four casinos in Arkansas, being subject to laws enacted by the General Assembly in accord with this amendment and regulations issued by the Arkansas Racing Commission ("Commission"); defining "casino gaming" as dealing, operating, carrying on, conducting, maintaining, or exposing for play any game played with cards, dice, equipment, or any mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic device or machine for money, property, checks, credit, or any representative value, as well as accepting wagers on sporting events; providing that individuals under 21 are prohibited from engaging in casino gaming; providing that the Commission shall issue four casino licenses, one to Southland Racing Corporation ("Southland") for casino gaming at a casino to be located at or adjacent to Southland's greyhound track and gaming facility in Crittenden County, one to Oaklawn Jockey Club, Inc. ("Oaklawn") to require casino gaming at a casino to be located at or adjacent to Oaklawn's horse track and gaming facility in Garland County, one to an applicant to require casino gaming at a casino to be located in Pope County within two miles of Russellville, and one to an applicant to require casino gaming at a casino to be located in Jefferson County within two miles of Pine Bluff; providing that upon receiving a casino license, licensees will be required to conduct casino gaming for as long as they have a casino license providing that Southland and Oaklawn do not have to apply for a license and will automatically receive a casino license upon the Commission adopting rules and regulations to govern casino gaming; providing that the Commission shall require all applicants for the two remaining casino licensees, one in Pope County and one in Jefferson County to pay an application fee, demonstrate experience in conducting casino gaming, and submit either a letter of support from the county judge or a resolution from the county quorum court in the county where the casino would be located and, if the proposed casino is to be located within a city, a letter of support from the mayor of that city; providing that the Commission shall regulate all casino licensees; defining "net casino gaming receipts" as casino gaming receipts less amounts paid out or reserved as winnings to casino patrons; providing that for each fiscal year, a casino licensee's net casino gaming receipts are subject to a net casino gaming receipts tax of 13% on the first $150,000,000 of net casino gaming receipts or any part thereof, and 20% on net casino gaming receipts exceeding $150,000,001 or any part thereof; providing that no other tax, other than the net casino gaming receipts tax, may be imposed on gaming receipts or net casino gaming receipts; providing that the net casino gaming receipts tax shall be distributed 55% to the State of Arkansas General Revenue Fund, 17.5% to the Commission for deposit into the Arkansas Racing Commission Purse and Awards Fund to be used only for purses for live horse racing and greyhound racing by Oaklawn and Southland, as the case may be, 8% to the county in which the casino is located, and 19.5% to the city in which the casino is located, provided that if the casino is not located within a city, then the county in which the casino is located shall receive the 19.5%; permitting casino licensees to conduct casino gaming on any day for any portion of all of any day; permitting casino licensees to sell liquor or provide complimentary servings of liquor during all hours in which the casino licensees conduct casino gaming only for on-premises consumption at the casinos and permitting casino licensees to sell liquor or provide complimentary servings of liquor without allowing the residents of a dry county or city to vote to approve the sale of liquor; providing that casino licensees shall purchase liquor from a licensed Arkansas wholesaler; permitting shipments of gambling devices that are duly registered, recorded, and labeled in accordance with federal law into any county in which casino gaming is authorized; declaring that all constitutional provisions, statutes, and common law of the state that conflict with this amendment are not to be applied to this Amendment.

Yes ( ) No ( )

Resources


Official Summary

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