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Read Full BioA judge in Arkansas has ruled against the Cherokee Nation, following opposition to its plans to build a casino from church leaders. It has also been revealed that a rival casino entirely backed the faith-driven group.
The Cherokee Nation obtained a license to open a casino in Pope County, Arkansas, last year. However, this was strongly opposed by an anti-gambling group known as Local Voters in Charge.
The group, led by church leaders in the state, succeeded in passing a constitutional amendment to remove Pope County from the list of authorized locations for casinos.
According to a finance document filed Oct. 29, 2024, with the Arkansas Ethics Commission, Local Voters in Charge was entirely funded by a rival casino. The group received $17.7 million from the Choctaw Nation during 2024 as it campaigned for the new amendment to stop Pope County casinos.
The Cherokee Nation filed a lawsuit challenging the amendment, but a judge dismissed their claims last week. In the ruling, Judge Marshall determined that the amendment did not target the tribe specifically, but applied generally to all potential casinos in the county.
The tribe had purchased land in anticipation of building a casino there, and argued that the land had now reduced in value due to the ruling. However, the judge ruled that compensation must be sought via Arkansas’s State Claims Commission, not federal courts.
Local Voters & Casino Celebrate Ruling
Local Voters in Charge celebrated the ruling, which ends any hope for the Cherokee Nation to open a casino in Pope County.
A spokesperson for the group commented: “On behalf of the voters of Arkansas that supported and passed Amendment 104 last year, the Local Voters in Charge committee is grateful for the opinion handed down by Judge Marshall last week, affirming the provisions of Amendment 104.”
The Choctaw Nation also celebrated the ruling as it eliminates competition from its casino in Pocola, Oklahoma, which straddles the Arkansas border.
Local Voters added: “This decision should stand as a caution to powerful gambling industry interests that would attempt to bypass voter control of casino development in Arkansas, especially voter control in the local communities most affected by the presence of casinos.”
Ironically, the amendment could only be achieved through the backing of “powerful gambling industry interests.” The Choctaw Nation estimated that the opening of a Pope County casino could have cost about $12 million annually in lost revenue.
Blocked Casino Further Limits Bettors in Arkansas
Currently, sports betting is legal in Arkansas only through the state’s casinos. The blocking of the Pope County development, therefore, further limits options for bettors.
Meanwhile, Underdog and Crypto.com have launched sports betting through a unique combination of DFS and prediction markets in the state. Arkansas is one of 16 states targeted by the partnership.
The companies have already begun offering players the option to place parlays on football games this season. However, the partnership may be subject to legal challenges.
Arkansas Senator Brian King requested that the governor issue a formal opinion on prediction markets last month. A negative opinion could limit the operations of operators.
Blocking one gambling method may lead to others thriving. Critics argue that over-regulation encourages unregulated platforms to thrive.
Local Voters have celebrated the blocking of the Pope County casino, but this will lead to more residents traveling over the border to the Choctaw Nation’s casino in Oklahoma. It demonstrates the difficulty for anti-gambling groups in succeeding against a tide of betting options emerging.
