Another Oklahoma Sports Betting Bill is On The Way

It seems like we are heading for another Oklahoma sports betting debate in 2025.

At the recent Global Gaming Expo, head of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Matt Morgan basically confirmed that he expects another bill to be on the table. Whether this attempt is successful will be a matter of course. But most will view this from a skeptical vantage point. Rightfully so, too.

Previous attempts to legalize sports betting in Oklahoma have fallen flat. The reasons are technically manyfold. But there is a recurring issue that keeps cropping up: The relationship between Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and the tribes.

For sports betting to arrive in The Sooner State, this dynamic must change. This is to say, it must at the very least become more collaborative. Prior to Morgan’s comments, there is nothing to suggest that wholesale strides are being made. And this raises the question: Has something changed that could materially alter the Oklahoma sports betting outlook?

Breaking Down the Disconnect That Will Define Oklahoma Sports Betting Legalization

Tribes in Oklahoma have exclusive rights to gaming services. This effectively means that sports betting cannot be legalized without their approval. It is this exclusivity that has caused tension between them and Mr. Stitt.

The governor has repeatedly tried to legalize Oklahoma sports betting in some form. However, he has basically done so without trying to collaborate with tribes. From attempting to amend gaming compacts with only certain tribes to proposing legal sports betting bills without consulting tribes, the list of tribal grievances is extensive—and, frankly, justified.

As Susan Jenson of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association said at the OIGA conference when asked to comment on the matter in The Sooner State: “Partner with the tribes. Don’t try to fight the tribes. Partner with them.”

This is indeed the smart approach if Governor Stitt wants to bring sports betting to Oklahoma. But it is not a strategy he has historically employed. And it doesn’t sound like that is necessarily on the verge of changing. Morgan made it clear at the Global Gaming Expo that Oklahoma tribes would hold their current position and wait for Stitt to seriously collaborate.

Of course, the stances taken by both the governor and the state’s tribes may not allow for compromise. Stitt has repeatedly nodded to the importance of online sports betting in the United States. He wants corporate mobile betting sites to have market access. Tribes believe that their exclusivity should sustain. Is there common ground to be found here?

Certain Policymakers are Driven by Clear Demand for Sports Betting in The Sooner State

Regardless of whether Stitt and the tribes are on better terms, it sure sounds like another Oklahoma sports betting proposal is coming down the pipeline. Last year, Senator Casey Murdoch submitted a bill based on Stitt’s vision, even though tribal opposition was rampant.

While it’s not clear what a 2025 initiative will look like, at least one other policymaker seems determined to submit a bill. And, just like last year, tribal officials have said they’ll keep an open mind without making any promises. From iGaming’s Jill R. Dorson:

This time around, Senator Bill Coleman told News Channel 8 in September he’ll bring a bill in 2025 due to ‘demand’ in the state. He said the state is losing tax revenue to other jurisdictions. Coleman did not share details in his announcement. [Matt] Morgan said last week that Oklahoma’s tribes are open to the discussion, but they remain cautious. ‘Our members remain united to move our industry, our communities and our state forward and will work with any partners who share that vision,’ Morgan said during a ‘Tribal Sovereignty and Sports Betting: A Delicate Balance’ G2E panel. ‘We have several new faces in the state legislature and new leadership in each chamber and we’ll see where the legislature and Governor Stitt’s priorities lie.’”

Given how the last round of “discussions” unfolded, this latest push doesn’t inspire much confidence. Heck, can we even call it a “push?” We don’t even know the details. Nor do we know if the proposal will feature any adjustments more likely to jibe with tribal visions of gaming in the state. Shoot, some have even posited multiple Oklahoma sports betting bills could be on the table in 2025.

It May Still Be A While Until Oklahoma Legalizes Sports Betting

Senator Coleman is right about at least one thing: There is a clear demand for Oklahoma sports betting. Multiple polls have shown it. Plus, there is a growing demand throughout the country in general. All but 12 states have now legalized sports betting in some form. That puts Oklahoma in the minority.

Even so, it is tough to imagine any sports betting legislation being successful this year. From the outside looking in, Governor Stitt and the tribes don’t seem like they are operating out of the same book, let alone on the same page.

Perhaps surprise changes are in store once the state legislature meets early next year. We wouldn’t, ahem, bet on it. But it is certainly possible.

Failing that, the conversation will shift to the Oklahoma sports betting outlook beyond Governor Stitt’s time in office. He will “term out” in 2026. Will his successor have better standing with the tribes? Would his exit fast track Oklahooma toward legalized sports betting? Or is this debate destined to extend beyond Governor Stitt’s term?

At some point, we will find out. It may not be anytime soon. But we should at least know more, for better or bare, about the long-term trajectory of Oklahoma sports betting within the next six months.

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