The post Slap Fighting A No-Go, But Arkansas Adds 17 New Wagering Markets appeared first on SportsHandle.

Arkansas‘ sports betting regulator last week more than doubled the number of markets available for sportsbooks to take wagers on when it voted to expand its bet menu with 17 events, ranging from bare-knuckle fighting to cornhole to snooker. The expansion is the latest among states adding oddball sports to their bet menus as the doldrums of summer approach for sportsbooks.

According to a spokesperson from BetSaracen, there will be more new additions in the future. During last week’s meeting, the regulator approved those sports that didn’t raise many questions, and it is researching more sports that may be added.

The Arkansas Racing Commission (ARC) considered 56 additions to the bet menu, including slap fighting, which was first legalized in Wyoming but did not get approved last week in Arkansas. Wyoming doesn’t allow bare-knuckle fighting, but floorball, futsal, and snooker are all on the menu. All four of those sports are on the Colorado bet menu. Massachusetts regulators declined to add slap fighting to their menu earlier this year.

The events that were approved in Arkansas include the mainstream and the unusual. Here’s the full list of the newest approved markets: bare-knuckle fighting, beach volleyball, bowling, cornhole, disc golf, field hockey, floorball, futsal, lacrosse, lawn bowling, NHRA drag racing, pool, snooker, table tennis, volleyball, water polo, and world sailing.

Uh, what are those sports?

For the uninitiated, here’s a bit about some of the more oddball sports:

Bare-knuckle fighting: A combat sport that resembles boxing, but without the gloves.

Floorball: Call it indoor hockey without all the gear … or broom hockey, but with a stick. Floorball is big in the Nordic countries. It’s regulated by the International Floorball Federation.

Futsal: A soccer-based game played on a hard court, usually indoors. It is recognized and overseen by FIFA.

Snooker: Born in the British military, snooker is like billiards, but played on a specialty table and with 22 balls, most of them red. It is regulated by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.

Snooker, which is not terribly popular in the U.S. but is commonplace in Great Britain, is readily available on most American bet menus, and floorball, futsal, and, bare-knuckle fighting can be found on Colorado’s diverse bet menu.

BetSaracen already added table tennis

The expansion in Arkansas will allow the state’s retail and digital books the opportunity to request to add the markets. Some of the new sports are already being offered. As an example, BetSaracen has already added table tennis to its menu.

“With the expansion of gambling across the states and Arkansas being a unique jurisdiction, we may not add all of these [to our menu], but if we do see interest, we want to be ready,” Bet Saracen Senior Director of Tables and Sportsbook Operations Neal Atkinson told Sports Handle. “There is more and more cable news coverage of these emerging sports, and we want to have these emerging sports available [for wagering].

“The idea is to get as much approved as possible, so if the consumer does decide it’s what they want, we can get it up quickly.”

Good Afternoon #Arkansas! 33 states and #Washington DC have a live, legal ‘sports betting market,’ some states are now working to have #gambling #education in public schools. #QOTD Should public school systems teach #teenagers about the risks of gambling? https://t.co/wUXCcxLiVe

— KATV News (@KATVNews) June 5, 2023

Atkinson said the process for adding markets is evolving in Arkansas, and among the changes is that the regulator now hosts the bet menu, rather than operators doing so. Previously, each operator had its own menu that had to be approved. Now Arkansas will align with most other states where the regulator hosts the menu and operators can choose which markets they want to offer.

Atkinson said he expects operators to meet again in the next few weeks to review about 40 other potential additions. Arkansas sportsbooks and the ARC will use the expansive Colorado menu as a template.

“We’re going to try to add as many sports as possible and have an exhaustive list,” he said.

The post Slap Fighting A No-Go, But Arkansas Adds 17 New Wagering Markets appeared first on SportsHandle.