Oklahoma Lawmakers Say No Dice On Sports Betting Legalization This Year

Sports betting in Oklahoma is once again on hold until at least next year after a bill to legalize it has stalled in the state legislature. Lawmakers said the next steps are up to the Governor and tribal leaders.

Gov. Stitt said he is all in on legalizing sports betting, but wants any potential agreement to be fair for both the tribes and the state.

“The bill that was proposed by one of the members wasn’t exactly the one that was transparent and fair,” said Gov. Stitt. “It wasn’t thorough enough.”

The Governor is referring to House Bill 1027, which passed the State House by a wide margin but did not advance in the Senate before the committee deadline.

“We could have pushed it further but I don’t think it would have made it to the governor’s desk with a signature,” said State Sen. Bill Coleman, Ponca City. “Nobody between the governor’s office and the tribes have had a conversation about how sports betting should be structured in Oklahoma.”

The bill called for tribes to pay the state a 4 percent fee on the first $5 million made in one month. It also called for a 5 percent fee on the next $5 million and a 6 percent fee on additional revenue.

For comparison, Kansas gets a 10 percent cut from sports betting.

Lawmakers are ready to take on whatever changes the Governor and tribes come up with.

“We can take that bill, put anything into it that the parties agree to, and move forward with it,” said Coleman. “Hopefully get it passed in 2024.”

Coleman said the bill will be sitting in the Senate at the start of the session next February.

The state estimates it could bring in more than $9 million in revenue, with the majority of that being allotted to education, if passed.