Ever since the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, the federal law restricting sports gambling to four states, legal sports betting has spread like wildfire. Now a potential battle for Oklahoma sports betting is playing out between the Governor and the state’s tribal gaming interests.
At the recent Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association convention at the Cox Business Center no fewer than four sessions have been devoted to sports gaming… that’s more than any other topic. The sessions are sponsored by United Kingdom-based Sports Betting Community, a “news, media and events company” that promotes sports betting.
“Tribes are ready to have that discussion,” Matt Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, said when asked Tuesday morning about the chances of sports betting in the state. Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wanted a bigger portion of tribal gaming revenue for the state, but he has no legal leverage — unless the state is willing to give the tribes something in return. That something could be sports betting.
Under current law, Oklahoma would have to authorize tribal sports betting. Technically, that would probably involve legalizing such gambling but restricting it to tribal operations in exchange for a share of revenue. Morgan said sports betting would allow tribal casinos to offer another form of entertainment, but it is not necessarily as financially lucrative as some think.
Read more at the Tulsa World
