Oklahoma May Have Texas Sports Betting Alternative

Will Texas sports betting be legalized anytime in the near future?

Many experts and industry insiders think so. In fact, DraftKings CEO Jason Robbins recently said he’s “optimistic” Texas sports betting will be legalized in 2025. Couple those comments with the sale of the Dallas Mavericks to casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp, and you can’t help but believe the Lone Star State might be inching toward a change in policy sometime soon.

Still, despite the recent buzz, nothing is guaranteed. The legalization of sports betting in Texas continues to face tons of opposition. This is especially true in the Senate, where Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has on multiple occasions reiterated there’s not enough support to bring it to a vote.

For many sports betting enthusiasts in Texas, this won’t be a problem. Even without legalization, the Lone Star State sees billions of dollars in wagers placed from their residents. Most likely use one of the many top online sportsbooks in the United States. But others may travel across state lines, to place wagers where sports betting is legal.

Granted, this can be a chore. If you don’t live near the border of Arkansas or New Mexico, it can be a hike to find legal sports betting.

However, another on-site option may be on the verge of emerging.

Could Sky Tower Hotel Off Texas Sports Betting Alternative?

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma recently came to an agreement with the Kambi Group, a company that provides sports betting services to licensed operators. Here are the details, via Robert Fletcher of iGaming Business:

“Kambi Group has entered into a multi-state sportsbook agreement with Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, one of the largest Indian Nations in the US. Under the deal, Kambi will provide its sports betting technology and services to the Choctaw Nation’s gaming entities. This covers both online and retail sports betting. The Choctaw Nation operates Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, which owns a network of gaming and hospitality destinations throughout southeastern Oklahoma. Properties include its flagship casino location near to the Texas border.”

The flagship casino in question in the Sky Tower Hotel. Located in Durant, Oklahoma, it’s just a heartbeat away from the Lone Star State and eminently accessible across the eastern border. If they open up a sportsbook, it will make sports betting possible for a huge part of Texas. The folks in the southernmost part of the state would be the only ones without legal gambling access from a neighboring region.

But Wait, Isn’t Sports Betting in Oklahoma Illegal?

Correct, Oklahoma online sports betting is currently illegal. However, the Sooner State is on the list of locales that could be next in line to legalize sports betting. Governor Kevin Stitt has attempted on multiple occasions to bring sports gambling into Oklahoma. This year, in fact, an Oklahoma sports betting bill actually made it through the House of Representatives. It ultimately died in the Senate.

This means Oklahoma won’t be poaching any Texas sports betting revenue in 2024. But the efforts will no doubt continue. There is a chance we see Oklahoma sports betting launch in 2025 if it doesn’t go the constitutional amendment route. Should it require a constitutional amendment, we could see it legalized and rolled out in 2026.

It’s pretty much the same story for the future of Texas sports betting. The state legislature doesn’t meet until 2025. And we know the Lone Star State will need a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting and casinos. That means 2026 is the soonest sports wagering in Texas could roll out.

Of course, as we mentioned before, nothing's for certain. This is true for both Texas and Oklahoma. But to date, there is less interest in the legalization of Texas sports betting than there is for Oklahoma sports betting. Plenty of people won’t be shocked if the Lone Star State does not make the transition by 2026 or even 2028.

All of which is to say: Oklahoma sports betting could be legalized before Texas sports betting. And if that’s the case, the Sky Tower Hotel is now perfectly positioned to service people in both the Lone Star State and Sooner State.

Could Outside Pressure Create More Urgency to Legalize Texas Sports Betting?

There is a potential flip side here. Many people believe that the legalization of sports betting across the country will put unique pressure on holdout states in the coming years. Currently, 38 of 50 states have launched some form of legal sports betting. Though we won’t the U.S. won’t be adding a new state to that list in 2024, a handful of others have pending sports betting legislation.

Combine this with the sheer tax revenue potential from Texas sports betting, and the Lone Star State seems like they could be among the next to change their gaming laws. Yes, multiple previous initiatives have failed. Emphasis on multiple. Sports betting has not made it over the hump yet, but Texas officials are clearly intrigued enough to keep exploring it.

Who knows, maybe the inevitable 2025 push will pan out differently. We believe the state needs to see a shift in political power across the major chambers for this change, but there are states more conservative than Texas who have rolled out sports gambling.

Moral of the story: When it comes to Texas sports betting, any kind of timeline is on the table, for better or worse. And if it’s for worse, well, the Sky Tower Hotel in Oklahoma may soon provide yet another workaround for Texas who wish to wager on sports.

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: