Oklahoma governor renews sports betting proposal

Despite continuing legislative discussions about competing plans, Governor Kevin Stitt is sticking to his plan for sports betting in Oklahoma. Stitt resurfaced his previous legalization plan on social media, which may conflict with state legislature measures.

Stitt declared in November 2023 that he intended to legalize sports betting in Oklahoma, permitting both mobile betting through state-licensed sportsbooks and in-person wagering at tribe gambling establishments. The latter clause would allow for commercial operators like FanDuel or DraftKings. He proposes a 15% tax on retail betting and a 20% levy on mobile betting.

On social media, the governor wrote: “If the Legislature is going to pass sports betting in Oklahoma, it needs to be a fair deal for everyone – not just the tribes. I rolled out a solid, fair plan over a year ago.

“I promised Oklahomans if we pursued sports betting, we would do it right – and this plan does just that. Thirty-five states have already legalized sports betting, and it'll be a great revenue stream for the state. Tribes will be able to add it onto their existing infrastructure, and Oklahomans can access it right from their phone."

The Oklahoma House and Senate are debating a number of sports betting measures, but none of them have gathered much support, according to a published report. While some advocate a concept more akin to Stitt's, others support tribal authority over all sports betting.

Three different sports betting legislation were adopted earlier this month by the Business and Insurance Committee of the Oklahoma Senate. In one provision, the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder would be granted a license to conduct online sports betting off tribal grounds, while tribal casinos would be permitted to offer both in-person and mobile betting on their lands. Tribes would have total authority over sports betting, including online and offline, throughout the state under another law.

The piece of legislation that most nearly reflects Stitt's vision was presented by Republican Senator Casey Murdock. The bill would replicate the governor's suggested tax rates of 15% for retail betting and 20% for mobile betting, and it would give the Oklahoma Lottery Commission's board of trustees the authority to negotiate sports wagering agreements with "one or more other states or sovereigns" for both in-person and mobile sports wagering.

According to Stitt's statements, it is unlikely that he will support some House proposals that would give tribal governments sole authority over sports betting, and allow for a voter referendum if needed.

However, the state's gaming tribes are likely to oppose Stitt's plan even if a compromise is struck in the legislature. Any sports betting system must be in line with current Tribal-State Gaming compacts and be financially feasible for all parties involved, according to a prior statement from the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA).

Due to their compacts, Oklahoma tribes have a voice in any gambling-related matters. The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association states that three conditions must be met for tribe acceptance:

• Current compacts are not violated by the solution.
• The compact supplement described in the compacts is used.
• For both parties, the economics must make sense.

Source:

“Gov. Stitt Renews Oklahoma Sports Betting Proposal”, Pat Evans, legalsportsreport.com, February 25, 2025.