- Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has not changed his opinion on three approved Oklahoma sports betting bills
- None of the bills have received his input and Stitt has said he will veto bills he does not support
- Sports betting must be a “free market solution” for Oklahoma and not provide tribes with exclusivity
Legislators are moving Oklahoma sports betting bills through the House of Representatives and the Senate, but they lack the necessary support of one key figure in the state.
That key figure? Just Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), who recently spoke out against the three approved sports betting bills that he says do not provide a “free market solution” for the state.
“None of the bills that have moved off the floors of the House or Senate have gotten my input on them. As a matter of fact, they’ve excluded the Governor of the state of Oklahoma from these discussions. When they say that all stakeholders have come to the table and agreed on something, the taxpayers that are represented by the Oklahoma Governor has not weighed in on those things,” Stitt said during his weekly press conference.
Separate Bills Pass House, Senate
Last week, the Oklahoma Senate approved Sen. Bill Coleman’s (R-10) bill, SB 585, the “Thunder Bill,” to allow for the legalization of online and in-person sports betting in the Sooner State.
Coleman’s bill is the only sports betting legislation introduced this session to allow for an outside license holder. His legislation allows the 38 recognized Oklahoma tribes to offer retail sports betting at tribal casinos and online sports betting on tribal lands, but also allows the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire a sports betting license as well.
According to the legislation, the Thunder will “have the right to sublicense the event wagering license to one tribal-approved operator for mobile and in-person event wagering on nontribal land.”
Additionally, the Oklahoma House of Representatives recently approved two sports betting bills, both authored by Rep. Ken Luttrell (R-37), to legalize sports betting and provide exclusivity to state tribes.
His bills, HB 1047 and HB 1101, allow Oklahoma tribes to amend their gaming compacts to allow in-person and online sports betting on tribal lands only. HB 1047 was approved in the House by a 62-31 vote, while HB 1101 was approved 66-29.
The only difference between the two pieces of legislation is HB 1101 calls for a voter referendum in 2026 to allow residents to decide on the state’s sports betting fate once and for all. This would only be necessary if HB 1047 is not approved or is vetoed by Stitt.
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Stitt: ‘This Is Not Complicated’
Gov. Stitt has said he will veto any approved bills that provide sports betting exclusivity for state tribes.
“This is not complicated. If any single business person was sitting in my shoes, representing the taxpayers of Oklahoma, and would look at what they were doing in New York, New Jersey, and every of the other 40 states that offer sportsbook, it’s not complicated. You simply create the program that other states do and roll that out. That was the plan I put forward, and unfortunately those aren’t the two bills that are moving across the Senate,” he said.
Under Gov. Stitt’s plan, available online sports betting licenses would go through a public bidding process to maximize revenues for the state. His plan would allow for outside operators to bid for licenses, as well as the state tribes, who would have to pay a licensing fee like any other operator if they were awarded an online sports betting license.
However, Oklahoma tribal casinos would have exclusive control over retail sports betting, which would be taxed at a 15% rate.
Still will likely use his veto power if any of the current proposed bills are approved by both the House and Senate.
“These are tribal pushed bills that will only benefit the tribes and not the taxpayers of Oklahoma,” he said.
Recently, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt expressed his disapproval of the sports betting bills that were recently approved by the state legislature. The bills, which would legalize sports betting in the state, have been a point of contention between the governor and lawmakers.
Governor Stitt has been vocal about his opposition to expanding gambling in the state, citing concerns about the potential negative impacts on families and communities. He has also expressed doubts about the legality of the bills, arguing that they may violate the state’s tribal gaming compacts.
The governor’s stance has put him at odds with many lawmakers who see sports betting as a potential revenue generator for the state. Supporters of the bills argue that legalizing sports betting would bring in much-needed revenue for education and other public services.
Despite the governor’s disapproval, the bills were approved by both the House and Senate with bipartisan support. Lawmakers are now waiting to see if Governor Stitt will veto the bills or allow them to become law without his signature.
The debate over sports betting in Oklahoma is likely to continue as lawmakers and the governor work to find a compromise that addresses concerns about gambling addiction and revenue generation. In the meantime, sports betting enthusiasts in the state will have to wait and see what the future holds for this controversial issue.