Sports betting in Oklahoma is closer to becoming a reality after two bills were approved in the House and are advancing to the Senate for consideration.
One Step Closer
Step by step and inch by inch is how sports betting bills in Oklahoma have proceeded in the past, but a pair of bills, HB 1101 and 1047, authored by Representative Ken Luttrell, have passed the House by margins of 66-29 and 62-31, respectively.
Both bills would grant sports betting exclusivity to Oklahoma’s tribal nations in exchange for 10% of the profits and have now advanced to the Senate. Unlike HB 1047, HB 1101 would not require the governor’s signature, as it would let the people of Oklahoma decide whether sports betting should be available statewide.
No commercial casinos can be found in Oklahoma, as only Native American tribal casinos are allowed. This gaming exclusivity is something the tribes jealously guard and want maintained. It has been a delicate balance, appeasing the many stakeholders, but Representative Luttrell believes he has struck the right chord with his bills.
“For the last three years, I’ve been in negotiations with the tribes and trying to get OIGA (Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association) to take a stance and take a position and let us know what they really wanted,” he said. “They finally reached out to me last Friday with language that they wanted to see in the bill, things they thought were important. I’ve met with our leadership; we’ve come up with the cleanest, simplest possible sports betting bill that we can send to the Senate.”
Governor’s Opposition
Governor Kevin Stitt’s sports betting model is in direct conflict with the state’s 38 Native American tribes that have mounted a united front when it comes to gaming in the Sooner State. Stitt does not oppose sports betting, per se, but he has lobbied against granting exclusivity to the tribes, preferring to bring in outside platform providers that would partner with the state lottery, horse tracks and even the state’s NBA franchise, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There is quite a bit of money at stake as Oklahomans routinely cross state lines to wager inside neighboring states that have launched mobile sports betting. Should sports betting be legalized in Oklahoma, estimates range from roughly $140 million per year if sports betting is limited to retail sportsbooks, but as high as $420 million per year should mobile sports betting be allowed. The state’s tax coffers could expect between $14 million and $42 million every year from taxes on sportsbooks’ revenues.
Stitt believes he has been left out of negotiations, saying, “Matter of fact, they’ve (lawmakers) excluded the governor of the state of Oklahoma from these discussions. So, when they say that all stakeholders have come to the table and agree on something … the governor has not weighed in on those things.”
Representative Luttrell also appreciates the conservative nature of some of his colleagues but has urged them to at least vote for House Bill 1101 if House Bill 1047 is not signed into law.
“If you have a moral obligation against gaming, if your Sunday school class doesn’t like gaming, if your constituency in your district doesn’t like gaming, by voting for this bill, this gives you cover,” Luttrell said. “You’re not going to have to vote to override a governor’s veto on gaming; you’re not gonna have to answer to your constituents why you voted for gaming because you’re gonna vote to give it to a vote of the people and let your constituents make the decision.”
