Struggles Persist in Oklahoma’s Sports Betting Legalization Efforts

Oklahoma’s journey to legalize sports betting continues to face significant hurdles, primarily due to ongoing disagreements between Governor Kevin Stitt and the state’s tribal nations. Despite the governor’s strong advocacy for sports betting in the last legislative session, progress remains stalled.

Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, highlighted the lack of enthusiasm and cooperation. “Any discussion of sports betting really never left the ground after that because there was just too much posturing, too much disagreement on how the industry worked,” Morgan stated. His association, which includes 25 member tribes, has yet to see “real outreach” or efforts from state leadership to engage tribes on the matter.

Tribal Concerns and Economic Risks

Morgan also emphasized that neither the state Legislature nor the Governor’s Office has shown a genuine appetite for sports betting. “From our perspective, we’ve not really seen the state Legislature or the Governor’s Office have an appetite for sports betting to date,” he said. He pointed out that sports betting is a low-profit margin business and expressed that tribal leaders might be open to discussions within the framework of existing compacts. However, they are not willing to sign new agreements or take on unnecessary economic risks.

Efforts to legalize sports betting in Oklahoma have been ongoing since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which had banned state-sponsored sports gambling with few exceptions. Despite these efforts, Republican lawmakers have faced repeated failures.

In November, Governor Stitt surprised both tribes and legislators with his proposal to legalize sports betting. His plan offered tribes the exclusive right to operate in-person betting but allowed any vendor willing to pay $500,000 for a license to operate mobile gaming. This proposal faced immediate opposition from tribal leaders, who criticized the lack of consultation. They also noted that online bets account for 95% of the revenue and highlighted that existing state-tribal gaming compacts grant tribes the exclusive right to operate gaming.

Morgan summarized the tribal stance, stating, “We’ve not seen an appetite for sports betting to date.” His remarks reflect the broader sentiment among tribal leaders who seek fair and economically sound agreements within the framework of their existing compacts.