- Two Oklahoma House-approved sports betting bills were approved by a Senate committee last week
- The bills keep moving forward despite vehement opposition from Gov. Kevin Stitt
- The bills are intertwined, but one contains a voter referendum measure in 2026 as a triggering mechanism
Two Oklahoma sports betting bills continue their improbable march closer to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s (R) desk.
Rep. Ken Luttrell’s (R-37) sports betting bills, both approved earlier this month in the House of Representatives, were approved by the Senate Business and Insurance Committee and placed on general orders to be heard on the Senate floor.
The bills, HB 1047 and HB 1101, are identical and will allow Oklahoma tribes to amend their gaming compacts to allow in-person and online sports betting on tribal lands only. However, HB 1101 includes a provision that will send the issue to state voters in 2026 if HB 1047 is vetoed by Gov. Stitt.
Safety Net Featured in Legislation
Luttrell’s legislation provides exclusive sports betting control for Oklahoma state tribes. The legislation sets a 10% fee of adjusted sports betting revenues for state tribes that hold a sports betting license.
Gov. Stitt has made it clear that he is no fan of a sports betting bill that provides the tribes with exclusive control over the new form of gaming. In fact, the governor has declared he will veto any bill that does not include a “free market solution” for Oklahoma.
“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 previously said.
However, that’s where HB 1101 comes into play. If both pieces of legislation are passed by the Senate, but HB 1047 is vetoed by Gov. Stitt, HB 1101 would trigger a referendum for the 2026 general election to allow Oklahoma voters to determine if sports betting becomes legal or not.
Sen. Bill Coleman (R-10), the bill’s sponsor in the Senate, reported the legislation will likely bring in $42 million in annual revenue if approved.
Other Bills Have Stalled
The Oklahoma Senate approved its own sports betting bill in late March, but the legislation has since been withdrawn. Coleman’s bill, SB 585, the “Thunder Bill,” which allows for the legalization of online and in-person sports betting in the Sooner State, passed through the Senate by a 25-21 vote.
It was scheduled to be discussed in the House appropriations and budget subcommittee but was withdrawn earlier this month.
The legislation was the only sports betting bill 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.
His legislation set the state tax rate at 10% of net sportsbook revenues.
According to the legislation, the Thunder would “have the right to sublicense the event wagering license to one tribal-approved operator for mobile and in-person event wagering on nontribal land.”
In recent years, the landscape of sports betting in the United States has undergone a significant transformation. With the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, many states have moved quickly to legalize and regulate sports betting within their borders. Oklahoma is one such state that has joined the growing list of jurisdictions where sports betting is now legal.
However, Oklahoma’s approach to sports betting legislation includes a unique safety net for dark horse participants. Dark horse participants are individuals who may not have the financial means to compete with more established sports bettors, but still want to participate in the excitement of sports betting.
The safety net in Oklahoma’s sports betting legislation comes in the form of limits on the amount of money that dark horse participants can wager. While more experienced bettors may be able to wager large sums of money on a single bet, dark horse participants are limited to smaller bets in order to protect them from potential financial harm.
Additionally, Oklahoma’s sports betting legislation includes provisions for responsible gambling education and resources for dark horse participants. This includes information on how to recognize signs of problem gambling and access to support services for those who may be struggling with gambling addiction.
Overall, Oklahoma’s approach to sports betting legislation demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that all participants, regardless of their financial means, can safely and responsibly engage in sports betting. By implementing safeguards for dark horse participants, Oklahoma is setting a positive example for other states looking to legalize sports betting in the future.