Is Sports Betting Legal in Oklahoma?
Raise your hand if you knew that Oklahoma has 130 tribal casinos. Not all of them are what we traditionally think of as casinos, as some are simply gaming machines in bars or gas stations. Nevertheless, the Sooner State could be a real boomer when it comes to the legalization of sports betting with so many potential locations for betting kiosks.
The time might be right to strike when the iron is hot in Oklahoma. The state recently passed the “Ball and Dice bill”, which expanded casino gaming to include roulette and craps. Any expansion of gambling is a bonus when it comes to the prospects of sports betting because it means that lawmakers are happy to pass legislation that creates additional revenue.
It may not even be the tribal casinos that wind up with sports betting. The Oklahoma lottery has thrown some feelers out there and parties from all sides are looking at studies and economic impacts. Thirty-three tribes are involved in Oklahoma’s current gaming setup, including the Cherokee Nation, so this is no small operation.
Interestingly enough, Oklahoma was one of several states trying to get out in front of the expected strike down of PASPA and actually introduced some potential legislation a couple of years ago. Because the Supreme Court ruling hadn’t come down, there wasn’t a whole lot of traction, but those discussions have fired back up now and things look very promising for sports fans that want to get in on the action.
Recent News Stories About Sports Betting
Sean Murphy of The Associated Press outlined what is going on in Oklahoma when it comes to sports betting and also about the significant impact the Indian tribes will have in the proceedings.
KTUL ABC 8 in Tulsa wrote about the interest that the Oklahoma lottery has taken in the world of legalized sports betting.
A write-up from Marsha Mercer addressed the concerns about problem gambling in Oklahoma and how things could increase with sports betting.
Legalized sports wagering was painted in a very positive light in the Edmond Sun, as author Grant Crawford spoke with the Indian tribes about what it could mean financially for the Cherokee Nation and other tribes.
Forecast
Oklahoma will get sports betting sooner rather than later it would appear. Both the lottery and the Indian tribes are very interested, which increases the likelihood that one of the two will be able to move forward in reasonable fashion. Who knows how long it will take to get everything implemented, but Oklahoma should be another one of the states across the middle of the country to get things going.
Neighboring States
