Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for people in most parts of the world, especially in Southeast Asia, and it is also one of the major sources of food chain arsenic (As) contamination. Accumulated As in paddy field soil not only reduces the yield and quality of rice, but it can also cause serious health problems through the food chain. Minimizing As concentration and its toxicity in grains and improving As tolerance of rice have become prominent and urgent problems. In this paper, research advances related to physiological and molecular mechanisms of As uptake, accumulation and metabolism by rice are reviewed. Suggestions for future research in this area are also presented.