Unleashing the Sports Betting Tangle in Oklahoma: A Bumpy Road Ahead
Last-Minute Removal of Sports Betting Proposal from Oklahoma House Agenda
The frothy brew of sports betting in Oklahoma is caught in a whirlwind of delays, with a recent bill pulls under the rug minutes before it graced a House subcommittee discussion. This unforeseen postponement doesn't seem to be the first bump in the road for Oklahoma, as it continues to languish behind several U.S. states that have embraced sports wagering.
The Trump card was already flung on the table as the Senate gave a nod to the bill, albeit by a whisker of a margin. A subcommittee of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee was marking the next stop on the bill's ride, but that never seemed to be in the stars.
At the core of this debate stands a decade-old clash between state officials and tribal nations, particularly over who should lay claim to the lucrative sports betting pie. Oklahoma boasts more tribal casinos per capita than any other state, and these powerful tribes have expressed their stance — they're open to the concept of legalized sports betting as long as their exclusive gaming turf remains intact.
The latest plan comes with a twist: it permits tribes to venture into the realm of mobile sports betting within their borderlands, which encompass vast regions like the Tulsa metro. But it stops before non-tribal territories, an arrangement that Governor Kevin Stitt adamantly opposes. In what appears as an ultimatum, Stitt has threatened to veto not just the current bill, but two more, unless they craft an "open" market involving racetracks, commercial sportsbooks, and even the state lottery.
The dance of disagreements between Stitt and tribal leaders isn't new; it stretches back years. The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, consisting mainly of the state's tribes, has weighed in on the pitches that are still on the table. Recently, they've emphasized their eagerness to collaborate, but underlined the vital importance of upholding tribal sovereignty.
One interesting tidbit on the Senate-endorse bill is the Oklahoma City Thunder's potential to strike a partnership with third-party platforms like DraftKings or FanDuel. The city, situated outside tribal lands, would need a unique deal to legality bet on sports.
If the law manages to pass this quagmire and find its way onto governors' desks, it could result in a fragmented system where tribal domains adhere to one structure, while urban territories like Oklahoma City follow another. It's still hazy whether tribal operators will go solo or join hands with national brands in such an event.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma's regional rivals have moved ahead. Missouri is gearing up to unveil sports betting, and Arkansas, Kansas, and Colorado have already launched mobile betting statewide. Nationwide, 39 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and a smattering of territories, have jumped aboard the sports betting train since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling struck down the federal ban.
- Key Sources:
- The Oklahoman
- The Associated Press
- The Tulsa World
- The latest bill proposing to legalize sports-betting in Oklahoma has once again encountered opposition, particularly from Governor Kevin Stitt, who prefers an "open" market that includes more than just tribal casinos.
- The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, representing the state's tribes, advocates for collaboration on sports-betting, but insists on maintaining tribal sovereignty in the process.
- Despite Oklahoma's struggles to legalize sports-betting, surrounding states like Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Colorado have already launched mobile sports-betting statewide, leaving Oklahoma behind in the long race towards embracing this form of gambling.
