Pope County casino licence goes up in smoke after voters pass Issue 2

Arkansas voters approved the measure by a 56%-44% margin Tuesday, according to local outlet THV11. With over $30 million (£23.2 million/ €27.8 million) in campaign contributions, the measure was the most expensive in state history. It doubled the previous record, which was $12.4 million for a recreational marijuana initiative from 2022.

Unlike most gambling initiatives, the passage of Issue 2 actually repeals a licence that was already awarded. The licence in question had been awarded to Cherokee Nation Businesses by state regulators, but is now void.

If the Cherokees’ licence had survived, the tribe was proposing a $300 million development known as Legends Resort & Casino. The site is about 75 miles outside of Little Rock. All told, the tribe lost about $12.5 million funding the “no” campaign, which had the support of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, to no avail.

In order to even reach the ballot, the measure had to survive two legal challenges, one based on its language and the other based on signature-gathering procedures. Moving forward, any gambling expansion in the state must now be approved by local voters.

Pope County campaign became clash of tribes

In 2018, Arkansas voters legalised casinos in four counties – Garland, Jefferson, Crittenden and Pope. Casinos have since opened in all but Pope County, which has been beset by controversy and setbacks.

Gulfside Casinos Partnership was originally granted the licence in 2020. But that was eventually nullified in favour of the Cherokees a year later. Since then, the licence has been the centre of multiple legal challenges and court rulings. It was eventually settled 27 June, when state regulators unanimously approved the tribe’s application.

After it became clear that the Cherokees had in fact secured the licence, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma emerged as the biggest opponent. The Choctaws operate several casinos in Oklahoma, one of which is in Pocola on the Arkansas border. Like Louisiana, the Oklahoma gaming industry as a whole relies heavily on out-of-state patrons from Texas, Arkansas and other states with few gaming options or none at all.

In all, the Choctaws contributed more than $17.5 million in its successful fight to help pass Issue 2.