Oaklawn vs Southland: Which Arkansas Casino Suits Which Kind of Trip

Oaklawn in Hot Springs pairs casino gaming with live horse racing, while Southland in West Memphis ties its gaming floor to dog racing. Both venues expanded their gaming options after…

Oaklawn in Hot Springs pairs casino gaming with live horse racing, while Southland in West Memphis ties its gaming floor to dog racing. Both venues expanded their gaming options after regulatory changes, but they differ in floor scale, table games, dining, and track action.

Deciding between them depends on whether a trip focuses on resort amenities and horse racing, or a gaming floor with many machines and live tables.

Licensing Rules and the Track Franchise Advantage

Arkansas treated its two historic racing operators differently from prospective new casino applicants from the start. Under casino gaming rules issued by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, the existing franchise holders at Oaklawn and Southland were explicitly exempted from submitting applications for new casino licenses under that section of the administrative code.

That carve-out allowed both facilities to convert quickly once regulatory hurdles cleared. The Arkansas Racing Commission granted the formal approvals that permitted both tracks to transition into full casinos.

State law sets uniform age limits across both properties. Department of Finance and Administration rules specify that an individual must be at least 21 years old to register for an Arkansas wagering account. Southland’s own published responsible gaming policy confirms the same standard for players entering the casino space, stating plainly that visitors must be age 21 or older to play. Neither venue permits underage wagering on its casino floor.

Table Capacities, Machines, and the Game Floor Split

Southland expanded its gaming floor after approvals. A September 2019 report in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette documented that Southland offered more than 2,025 gambling machines alongside 40 live table games after receiving approval from the Arkansas Racing Commission. The table lineup reported in that expansion included live blackjack, roulette, and craps.

Oaklawn expanded its gaming options under state approval. The Democrat-Gazette reported that Oaklawn transitioned into a full casino by adding live blackjack and live craps tables to its existing electronic gaming offerings. Oaklawn’s official casino literature lists live craps, live blackjack, popular slot games, and live music as the central components of its gaming space.

The published casino materials reveal specific differences between the two floors:

• Southland’s documented table mix includes roulette alongside blackjack and craps, while Oaklawn’s primary promotional material explicitly markets live craps and live blackjack.
• Southland operates with more than 2,025 gambling machines, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's review of commission actions. Oaklawn markets popular slots, though state records and primary venue pages do not publish an identical static machine tally in their main promotional overviews.
• Neither property's public casino promotional material confirms an active, dedicated live poker room. Bettors looking specifically for dedicated poker tables will find neither property advertising a regular poker room in their general public gaming literature.

For visitors seeking table variety, Southland's live table games and roulette offer more options. Bettors heading to Hot Springs will find Oaklawn’s tables centered on live craps and blackjack.

Thoroughbred Purses Against Greyhound Slates

The two properties diverged completely on the animals running on their tracks. Oaklawn built its identity around live horse racing, maintaining a traditional dirt track in Hot Springs. Southland operated its racing facilities around live greyhound racing.

Racing figures from 2019 showed the financial scale of those operations. In the fiscal year covered by that report, Oaklawn set aside $20.4 million in purse money specifically for its live horse-racing schedule. During the same period, Southland directed $33.06 million toward purses for its live greyhound races.

The purse amounts showed how each facility supported its racing operations. For horse racing followers, Oaklawn remains the sole destination of the two tied to thoroughbred racing. Southland’s racing history and purse allocations were entirely committed to dog racing.

Those planning a day around live thoroughbred racing have only Oaklawn as an option between the two. Southland has no horse track, no thoroughbred schedule, and no history of staging horse races on its West Memphis grounds.

Resort Amenities in Hot Springs Versus the West Memphis Floor

The non-gaming infrastructure creates another sharp separation between the properties. Oaklawn operates as a hospitality venue in Hot Springs. According to Oaklawn’s 2025 condition book, visitors can book hotel rooms, schedule spa treatments, and secure dining reservations directly through Oaklawn.com or over the phone.

Oaklawn's published dining directory lists nine distinct food and beverage options on the property:

• The Bugler
• The OAK room & bar
• Arkansas Sports Tavern
• Big Al’s Diner
• Carousel
• Percs
• Post Parade
• Silks Bar & Grill
• Track Kitchen

The selection includes various dining and drink options. Oaklawn offers a spa, hotel, and multiple dining options alongside its casino.

Southland operates in West Memphis with a focus on gaming. Southland operates as a casino hotel with many gaming options.

The decision between the two depends on the primary purpose of the visit. A traveler seeking resort amenities and horse racing will find them at Oaklawn. A bettor prioritizing gaming options will find them at Southland.