FanDuel Donates $100,000 to Oaklawn Foundation as Arkansas Sports Betting Launches

Five days after FanDuel went live in Arkansas, the company backed its arrival with a $100,000 donation to the Oaklawn Foundation, directing the gift toward programs and scholarships serving Garland County students and senior citizens.

The donation came on the heels of FanDuel going live in Arkansas through a partnership with Oaklawn Hot Springs. As of March 20, Arkansas residents and visitors could place sports bets through the newly branded Oaklawn Sports powered by FanDuel, bringing together Oaklawn's trusted legacy and FanDuel's sportsbook technology in one platform. The Oaklawn Foundation announced the contribution on March 25.

The launch itself carried regulatory weight years in the making. In December 2021, the Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously voted to expand to online sports gambling, though the state requires mobile sportsbooks to partner with a licensed, brick-and-mortar casino to operate, with each brick-and-mortar permitted to deploy two mobile platforms. FanDuel had previously indicated the state's revenue-sharing model was not worth entering, but ultimately chose to operate as a vendor supplying sports betting technology and data to Oaklawn, with the casino retaining operational control. With Arkansas, FanDuel Sportsbook is now live in 26 markets, its second new market in four months following Missouri's launch in December.

The financial upside for Oaklawn extends beyond the sportsbook itself. Under Arkansas gaming law, a portion of sports betting revenue contributes to horse racing purses, a link particularly meaningful for Oaklawn, home of the prestigious Arkansas Derby. An increase in sportsbook revenue directly strengthens racing prize pools, reinforcing Arkansas' standing in the national thoroughbred circuit. Arkansas sports betting handled $655 million in 2025, and Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith said the figure could grow fivefold under the new arrangement.

Oaklawn President Louis A. Cella framed the platform upgrade in terms of patron trust: "As we considered the future evolution of our mobile offering, we were determined to deliver our customers with an exceptional, high-quality Oaklawn experience. This partnership with FanDuel enables us to provide our online patrons with a safe and secure platform powered by industry-leading technology."

The $100,000 donation, described by FanDuel as part of its community impact strategy, drew a direct connection between the platform's commercial launch and the foundation's work in Hot Springs. Keita Young, FanDuel's Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, said: "Local community development is one of the key pillars of our community impact work, and we look forward to amplifying the great work the foundation does with both students and senior citizens."

Gabe Fisher, Chairman of the Oaklawn Foundation Board, said the gift would extend the foundation's reach: "This contribution will help us continue expanding opportunities for students and enhancing quality of life for senior citizens across Garland County."

The timing positions FanDuel's Arkansas footprint ahead of one of the most significant weekends on Oaklawn's annual calendar. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, a Hot Springs venue at the heart of Thoroughbred racing for over a century, hosts the Grade I Arkansas Derby each spring, one of the most prestigious Kentucky Derby prep races in the country. Arkansas Derby Day is scheduled for March 28, giving bettors their first chance to wager on a marquee Oaklawn stakes event through the new platform.