Two Oklahoma lawmakers have similar but distinct versions of their sports betting bills, but getting stakeholders to agree on a universal plan has been painstakingly tedious, and no resolution has been reached.
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Tribal Differences
Senator Bill Coleman (R-Ponca City) and Representative Ken Luttrell (R-Ponca City) have each crafted their own sports betting bills, but both would grant a monopoly to Oklahoma’s tribal nations in exchange for an eight percent exclusivity fee paid to the state.
However, getting the tribes to agree on how to roll it out has become a frustrating endeavor. The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) proposes that each tribe offering mobile sports betting in Oklahoma could do so only within its boundaries.
This would fly in the face of conventional wisdom, as customers traveling outside of those territories would be unable to wager with the mobile sportsbook with which they have become familiar. In order to make an online sports bet, those customers would have to sign up at whatever tribal sportsbook maintains jurisdiction wherever they travel within the state.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. is adamantly opposed to the OIGA’s proposal, stating, “The Cherokee Nation disagrees with the OIGA’s proposal, so there’s no unanimity among tribes. I don’t even know if there’s unanimity among all the OIGA tribes. I just know that we’re not as supportive of the current measure, so we’ll have to see. Things could change.”
Representative Luttrell, a Cherokee Nation member and in his last year due to term limits, believes the tribes backing a plan that prohibits a statewide rollout lack understanding of its impracticality.
“I visited with the tribes — OIGA members — and I told them, I said, I think what you’re going to find is that your customers find this is not what they want and this is not what they expected out of ‘mobile,’” Luttrell said. “If my app is with Osage casinos, where I’m at, I feel like I should be able to bet with that app wherever I am in the state. Some of the tribes oppose that. They want it restricted.”
Luttrell then added, “But they’re going to find out, as you and I both know, that’s not what the customers want. They’ll be back next year to ask for an amendment to change part of the compact [to make it] statewide if we can get it passed this year.”
Governor Disavows Tribal Monopoly
As if bridging the gap between the tribal nations wasn’t difficult enough, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has publicly voiced his disapproval of gambling. Yet, if it is to succeed, he believes the national sports betting operators, a la DraftKings and FanDuel, should also be allowed to join the industry to maximize the tax benefits for the state.
Governor Stitt has advocated for a 15% cut to the state, saying, “There are some states that get 50 percent of the profit. Can you believe that? It’s still profitable. So, is my job as governor to give away a monopoly to whoever funds a campaign?
“Or is my job to maximize for the taxpayers of Oklahoma? Well, that’s a rhetorical question, of course. My job is to do the best job I can for Oklahoma with limited government, and the free-market approach is the best approach to do.” The Oklahoma Legislature is scheduled to adjourn sine die on Friday, May 29, 2026.
