As of now, sports betting is illegal in Oklahoma. While many US states allow sports betting locally, Oklahoma has not joined these ranks yet. There is widespread interest in legalization, though several attempts failed, including one in 2022.
However, there is a chance that things might change. And that change is likely to come with House Bill 1027.
This bill was introduced in the Oklahoma House of Representatives in February 2023 and was passed in March 2023. Even the governor has expressed support for legalization of sports betting in Oklahoma.
Although, that bill is not yet law, and as such sports betting continues to be illegal in Oklahoma. One of the immediate hurdles facing this bill is that it still has to pass the senate, before moving on to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. A few more details would also need to be worked out.
To put it simply, this bill would allow tribal gaming operators in Oklahoma to offer sports betting online as well as in-person at their casinos.
House Bill 1027 envisions that 12 percent of the revenue from sports betting would go to the General Revenue Fund, while the remaining would find its way to the Education Revolving Fund. The total estimated revenue from legalizing sports betting is expected to be at $9 million.
Even if the bill passes the senate and legal hurdles are removed, it might still be a while before sports betting is actually available in Oklahoma. After legal hurdles are handled, other issues will have to be settled as well.
For one, the state and tribes would have to agree on the division of revenue, or what revenue the state would receive from these betting operations. It’s also worth noting that not all tribes are on-board with the legalization of sports betting.
Many tribes fear that legalization of sports betting would impact revenue from other gambling or casino sources, including those from slot machines and table games.
As things stand now, sports betting continues to be illegal in Oklahoma. However, that is likely to change in the future.