Yet another Oklahoma sports betting push is underway. And it’s already facing what could be defining opposition.
Senator Casey Murdock recently introduced Senate Bill 1434. The measure would legalize sports betting in Oklahoma based on a proposal and criteria previously outlined by Governor Kevin Stitt.
However, the submission of this initiative is already engendering critical opposition. Its mere existence, to be sure, is not the issue. Pretty much every key stakeholder in The Sooner State favors the consideration of Oklahoma sports betting.
The main problem is Senator Murdock’s bill—and, by extension, Governor Stitt’s plan—doesn’t call for tribal exclusivity. If the measure is successful, it would allow online sportsbooks in the USA to enter the market. The licensing process wouldn’t be haphazard. But it would, in the eyes of many officials, violate and ultimately eradicate the gambling exclusivity currently held by the state’s tribes.
On the bright side, all of the involved parties appear open to dialogue. There is also at least one other Oklahoma sports betting bill sitting on the Senate table. Still, the momentum behind the legalization of sports gambling in The Sooner State to begin 2024 may be quickly facing. And the primary dilemma, in turn, is the same as ever: The state of affairs may not change unless legislators, tribal leaders and any other stakeholders can find common ground.
Gambling Exclusivity Continues to Define Oklahoma Sports Betting Debate
Tribes have long maintained they should have exclusive rights to Oklahoma sports betting. Governor Stitt’s office believes the opposite.
“I’m most definitely not saying the tribes can’t do [sports betting],” Senator Murdock told Oklahoma Voice. “I’m just saying anybody can do it. If Joe Blow wants to start a business and wants to start a sportsbook, I want him to be able to. I didn’t want to put any [exclusivity] in this.”
Senator Murdock’s would allow tribes to offer on-site Oklahoma sports betting while being taxed at a 15 percent rate. It also calls for Oklahoma sports betting licenses to be doled out to mobile wagering sites. They, in turn, would be taxed at a 20 percent rate.
Governor Stitt, Senator Murdoch and SB 1434 likely believe the lower tax rate for tribal sportsbooks is enough incentive to get them on board. That is…not the case. On the contrary, this measure has only added to already-tense relations between Governor Stitt and Oklahoma tribes. As Pat Evans of Legal Sports Report wrote:
“The state’s tribes control gaming through compacts and have protested Stitt’s hopes to include commercial entities. There are more than 100 tribal gaming facilities in the state. Tribal leaders in the state have said Stitt has undone decades of work between the Oklahoma and tribes. Stitt has also run into opposition from his own Republican Party in the legislature. Leaders are displeased with how he works, particularly around sports betting issues.”
This displeasure Evans references seemingly comes down to a lack of collaboration. Governor Stitt has, for the most part, acted independently of the tribes. And it’s an issue that dates back years.
This is Not the First Time Governor Stitt has Rankled Oklahoma Tribes When It Comes to Sports Gambling
Back around 2020, Governor Stitt attempted to negotiate new gaming compacts with a pair of tribes that would have brought legal sports betting to Oklahoma. High courts swiftly shot down this attempt.
Then, three years later, Governor Stitt requested approval for the same forms of legislation yet again. And it did not go over well. Not only did Stitt forgo wider collaboration, but his proposed gaming compacts were brokered with two parties who were not members of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA).
These circumstances in itself are still viewed by tribes and many of Stitt’s fellow legislators as a disingenuous endaround. It is one thing if he negotiated with tribal entities legally allowed to operate gaming facilities. But brokering Oklahoma sports betting deals with tribes outside the OIGA sent a clear message to its members. And ultimately, it also laid the groundwork for the problems facing Oklahoma sports betting legislation today.
The Future of Sports Betting in Oklahoma May Be as Murky as Ever
This latest reaction to Senator Murdock’s bill is a good reminder to not take optimistic leanings at face value. Pushes for the legalization of sports betting in the USA can change on a whim. Heck, just a few weeks ago, the efforts to legalize Oklahoma sports betting were reportedly ramping up in a way that suggested progress. In reality, however, it seems the state hasn’t made any headway.
If anything, the question for sports gambling in Oklahoma may be in worse shape than ever. Another tribal-supported bill is sitting on the Senate table after making it through the House of Representatives last year. Many have wondered whether Stitt’s influence would prevent it from moving any further. And the introduction of a separate Stitt-backed bill only stands to complicate matters.
As many outlets have reported and pointed out, stakeholders from both sides of the fence have expressed a willingness to discuss and negotiate the issue. But those conversations, as far as we can tell, have yet to take place. That’s a bad sign.
At the same time, though, it’s not entirely clear whether anything productive would emerge from actual dialogue. The two Oklahoma sports betting bills on the table are so disparate that the gap separating them feels too gargantuan to bridge. Especially in time for 2024 approval.
Far be it from us to forecast the future. But as things currently stand, we’d bet against the legalization of Oklahoma sports gambling in 2024.
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