A pair of sports betting bills approved by the House have stalled in the Senate, which means Oklahomans will have to wait at least another year before a legalized mobile sports betting industry comes to the Sooner State.
Despite growing public support and clear economic incentives, efforts to pass legislation have—once again—hit a barrier at the upper chamber. This legislative setback has left the state’s sports fans and prospective operators frustrated as surrounding states enjoy the benefits of regulated betting.
Fizzled at the Finish
The prospects for passing sports betting legislation appeared bright after the House approved a pair of bills that also cleared another significant hurdle by advancing through the Senate’s Business and Insurance Committee.
But that was the end of the road for HB 1047 and HB 1101, with the latter calling for a voter referendum on sports betting should the former fail to pass. The promise of progress has now given way to another period of waiting for real regulatory change in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s Senate killed any chances either bill had by failing to vote on either of the bills by the May 8th deadline. Oklahoma remains one of only 11 states that have not passed a retail or mobile sports betting bill. Projections estimated the state would have generated an additional $50 million to $60 million per year based on the sports betting revenue taxes. These potential revenues would have brought much-needed funding to public education or infrastructure projects but now remain on hold for at least another year.
Meanwhile, Oklahomans have been crossing the border to make their wagers with neighboring states that have all launched sports betting, including:
While Missouri is expected to launch at some point in the fall. The border exodus demonstrates clear consumer demand for legal, convenient sports betting options that Oklahomans currently lack at home.
“If some of our citizens are asking for it and going across the state line to do this, we should do something to keep those dollars in our state,” said Senator Dave Rader, a former quarterback for the University of Tulsa in the late 70s. This sentiment is being echoed by a growing chorus of legislators who believe that legal betting is inevitable and worth pursuing for economic reasons.
Gov and Tribes Gridlocked
The Native American tribes in Oklahoma jealously guard their gaming monopoly and are leery of national mobile sportsbooks like Caesars, FanDuel, and DraftKings taking over the digital sports betting realm. There are no non-tribal casinos in the state, and the tribes have been reluctant to consider any form of gaming that would require outside gaming companies. The tense dynamic between the tribes and state officials remains at the core of the ongoing stalemate.
However, HB 1047, sponsored by Representative Ken Luttrell, called for an amendment to the Model Tribal Gaming Compact that would cede a sports betting monopoly to the tribes in exchange for a 10% tax on their sports betting revenues. That had the tacit approval of the tribes and proved to be a viable avenue towards bringing sports betting to the Sooner State. Had support solidified, it could have set a model for future tribal-state partnerships on digital wagering.
Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association chairman Matthew L. Morgan released a statement commenting on those bills by Representative Luttrell, stating, “The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) continues to closely monitor legislation impacting our industry on behalf of our members, including the bills that passed out of the Senate committee yesterday with their titles stricken.” The cautious optimism among OIGA’s leadership suggests hope for future compromise if new leadership emerges.
However, Governor Kevin Stitt does not believe the tribes should have a sports betting monopoly in addition to their casino monopoly in the state. Earlier this year, he was asked about mobile sports betting legislation being advanced and said the following:
“Some of the bills that you’re seeing come through, which I’m not supporting, and I would absolutely veto any of the bills that hit my desk, are exclusively giving a monopoly to the tribes. It’s not transparent. It’s not a fair deal; not everybody could do it,” insisted Governor Stitt. His unwavering position has made bipartisan compromise difficult, though some expect this rigidity may ease after the next election cycle.
Governor Stitt will be unable to run for governor again due to term limits, which could open the door to a gubernatorial candidate more sympathetic to the tribes, which would ultimately bring sports betting to the masses as early as 2027. For now, Oklahoma sports bettors remain sidelined, but the path to legalization may brighten in coming years with new political leadership and ongoing negotiations.
