Sports Betting Bill “Win-Win” Tribes & State

OK Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat Approaching Sports Betting in “Methodical Manner”

The good news for Oklahoma gamblers is that Gov. Kevin Stitt has made it clear he desires to legalize sports activities betting there regardless of getting pushback from different state lawmakers like Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, in accordance with reporter Reese Gorman of McAlester News-Capital (MNC).

Sen. Teat is a key participant in that state’s journey in the direction of authorized sports activities playing since he has the facility to determine what payments will get heard within the Senate, and in accordance with MNC Teat has “zero desire” to assist a invoice to solely legalize sports activities betting this session, saying in a current interview:

“Like everything, I want to approach it in a methodical manner, but my position has not changed: I’m not interested in moving [sports betting] by itself … I think it needs to be handled in a way that’s respectful of our tribal nations, it needs to be above board, and something that is a win-win for the state of Oklahoma and our 39 tribes.”

That makes good sense on condition that Oklahoma and its native tribes have already got authorized agreements in place which have meant tens of millions of {dollars} yearly for these 39 nations.

Legal Sports Betting in OK Depends on Existing Compacts with State’s 39 Native Tribes

Currently, there are greater than 110 tribal casinos throughout Oklahoma that provide guests their alternative of slot machines, poker, blackjack, and dwell leisure, however sadly, sports activities betting will not be one thing that tribes can legally present because of the agreements they’ve made with the state.

Those compacts define precisely what types of gaming are allowable and the difficulty at stake is whether or not sports activities betting may very well be added to that record or if these agreements must be absolutely renegotiated, the latter of which is taken into account a deal breaker by tribes.

Gorman studies that for the 2022 fiscal 12 months, the Oklahoma Tribes took in additional than $3.1 billion in gaming income – that’s from digital and desk video games – nonetheless the state solely noticed a $191 million minimize of that in exclusivity charges, and that quantity might enhance with a renegotiation.

That’s not one thing the tribes need to danger regardless of the cash they is also taking in with the addition of a authorized sports activities betting market related to their casinos, now a multi-billion U.S. trade that has develop into a money cow in over thirty different states.

Oklahoma lawmakers have reportedly expressed curiosity in additional debating this subject.

Lawmakers “Open to Exploring” Legal Sports Betting During Upcoming Session

It will take some critical debate by Sooner State lawmakers and tribal leaders earlier than any ahead motion can occur in the direction of authorized sports activities betting there, these talks almost certainly about to occur of their common session which started throughout the first week of February.

Legislators will convene till the primary day of June which supplies them just a few months to additional compromise and keep away from the pitfalls that trigger prior efforts to fail as they did in 2022 when state Rep. Ken Luttrell launched HB 3008 which died within the House after rising from the committee.

Numerous different states together with Arizona and Colorado have discovered methods to work with their native tribes to supply sports activities betting for his or her residents, in order that’s extra good news for Oklahoma sports activities gamblers who till additional discover should use unregulated means to put their motion.