Is Oklahoma Sports Betting Officially Imminent?

Is Oklahoma sports betting finally tracking toward legalization? It depends on how you view the latest news coming out of The Sooner State.

For so long, tension between tribal nations and, specifically, Governor Kevin Stitt has largely doomed Oklahoma sports betting to failure. The rocky relationship is the byproduct of many factors. Among the most pressing issues, though, is a lack of collaboration. Governor Stitt has previously attempted to renegotiate select tribal gaming compacts while also supporting sports wagering bills that are not constructed in tandem with tribal nations.

This has sewn discord between the two “sides.” Rightfully so, too. Tribal nations are more prevalent in Oklahoma than any other state, with the exception of maybe California. That means they have plenty of sway over policy. Equally important: Current gaming compacts also grant tribes gaming exclusivity. As of now, this pertains to all forms of gambling. Naturally, they believe sports betting in Oklahoma should represent an extension of this exclusivity. Governor Stitt clearly does not share those sentiments, at least not in perfect harmony with tribal nations themselves.

There is more going on here as well. But that is the gist of the situation and has been for years. Entering 2025, it did not appear anything would change. However, recent comments from tribal officials suggest the nations are having active dialogue about the future of Oklahoma sports betting. Will these discussions go anywhere? Let’s see if we can find out below.

Tribal Nations Taking Cautious Approach to Oklahoma Sports Betting Talks

Tribal officials continue to reiterate that they will not rush into any Oklahoma sports betting agreement. Some question that approach. After all, they are leaving loads of revenue on the table. But they also aren’t technically losing that money. It is not like other (legal) establishments are monetizing sports wagering instead of tribal nations.

Protecting their exclusivity to gambling in The Sooner State is clearly more important to them. As Emma Murphy of The Oklahoma Voice reports, this priority is shaping current dialogue with state officials:

“With 31 of Oklahoma’s tribal nations represented at the meeting, speakers at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa included Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. of the Cherokee Nation, Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe, and Margo Gray, executive director of UINO. When discussions turned to sports betting and tribal compacts with the state, Gov. Kevin Stitt was repeatedly mentioned. Stitt recently said he would veto any sports betting legislation sent to his desk that gave tribes exclusivity and has previously had conflicts with Oklahoma’s tribes.”

Commercialized sports betting indeed seems at the heart of the disconnect. Governor Stitt’s approach to negotiations is clearly too stubborn. With that said, given the rise of online sports betting in the United States, his interest in expanding offerings makes a ton of sense.

Accessibility to mobile betting sites in the USA is unparalleled when compared to brick-and-mortar locations. Some argue this is problematic. It makes gambling too easy. From a market perspective, though, online sports betting is ubiquitous. By now, more than 90 percent of all legal sports bets in the USA are likely processed through a mobile betting app. In certain areas, that share is even way higher.

Chairman of Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Sounds Lukewarm on Current Sports Betting Prospects

To this end, Matthew Morgan, the Chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, doesn’t sound too optimistic about the imminent future of Oklahoma sports betting legalization.

“I don’t think the odds are in our favor of seeing something move even through both chambers to [Stitt],” Morgan says (via Murphy). “Now, there’s always a chance and we have always advised our members that we need to be ready if there is a chance to move forward because they’ll probably move quickly. But you know, we, as tribal governments, members of OIGA, we’re not in a rush to have a deal on this, especially if it’s a bad deal. So if the right situation presented itself, I think you would see tribes get on board and really engage in the conversation, but we’re not gonna make a bad deal.”

This is a perfectly reasonable stance for tribal nations to take. Even if you are an advocate for Oklahoma online sports betting, you have to understand where Morgan and company are coming from.

Gaming compacts grant them exclusivity. That is the deal they negotiated. They do not need to forfeit it simply because it is better for the state’s bottom line. It is on Governor Stitt and his to build a proposal that can benefit tribal nations if they’re dead set on mobile legalization.

Heck, this might even overstate what’s necessary on Stitt’s end. Tribal nations are likely most concerned with protecting their own revenue potential. That runs in contrast to the introduction of commercialized sportsbooks. Stitt and his people may just need to figure out how to guarantee tribal nations a certain amount of business—of financial protection—to engage their interest.

Is There Any Hope for Sports Betting in The Sooner State?

This will not be the year Oklahoma sports betting gets legalized. The status quo will need to dramatically change for it to happen.

To be sure, this is not impossible. Three Oklahoma sports betting bills are currently still on the table. And as Morgan says, these agreements can move quickly.

From the sound of things, though, this stalemate can still be traced back to communication.

Governor Stitt doesn’t seem willing to budge. Nor do the tribes. Until or unless this changes, the push for Oklahoma sports betting will continue to go nowhere.

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