Oklahoma sportsbooks are set to remain illegal after lawmakers didn’t vote on a legalization bill ahead of a key deadline Thursday.
- Oklahoma's Senate failed to vote on sports betting bills by the May 8 deadline, ending legalization hopes for 2024.
- Tribal-state disagreements over exclusive betting rights continue to stall progress, with tribes favoring exclusivity and Gov. Stitt opposing it.
- Sports betting proponents may need to wait until 2026 or 2027 for another chance, possibly after a ballot measure or change in leadership.
After passing the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support earlier this year, the Oklahoma Senate did not take up a pair of complementary bills that would have given the state two potential paths for sportsbook legalization. The legislature’s deadline to pass legalization out of both chambers was May 8, effectively ending both bill’s chances to come into law this year.
Oklahoma is one of 11 states that haven’t approved legal sportsbooks.
Oklahoma sports betting background
Oklahoma lawmakers have considered legalizing sports betting since the Supreme Court struck down the federal wagering ban in 2018. Though lawmakers in both parties have backed legal sportsbooks, elected officials and would-be stakeholders have been split about how to do so.
State gaming tribes have opposed legislation that doesn’t grant them exclusive sports betting rights, arguing any other arrangement violates the state constitution and gaming compacts signed with the Oklahoma government. Gov. Kevin Stitt has opposed a model that gives tribes exclusive sports betting rights, arguing that sportsbook licenses should be potentially available to the state lottery, horse tracks, and other entities.
The tribes, which have exclusive rights to offer table games and slot machines on recognized Native American lands, have been willing to wait for an exclusive deal or until Stitt’s term ends in 2027.
NEW: Oklahoma's sportsbook legalization efforts are done for 2025 after enacting legislation was not taken up for a vote today ahead of a key deadline; OK remains one of 11 states that haven't approved legal sports betting
— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) May 8, 2025
The legislature’s tribal-only sports betting proponents this year advanced a pair of bills, including one that could circumvent Stitt’s opposition.
One proposal would give the tribes rights to accept wagers on their lands, with books set to open before year’s end. The other bill replicated the same language, but included a measure on the 2026 ballot that would need to be approved by Oklahoma voters next year; Under state law, a ballot measure bill would not have been eligible for the governor’s veto.
A third proposal that would have allowed betting on tribal lands as well as the right for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder to partner with a third-party sportsbook and accept mobile bets in the Oklahoma City metro did not advance ahead of a key deadline earlier this year.
Oklahoma sports betting future
Oklahoma sports betting proponents will likely have to turn to the legislature again in 2026 – or 2027, following a successful ballot measure or a revamped push with a new governor.
Federal law allows tribes rights to gaming on their lands, but specific game types must be approved by their respective state governments. In states including Washington and Wisconsin, tribes have in-person sportsbooks at their gaming facilities and allow mobile wagering while on casino property. The permitted betting area typically doesn’t extend far beyond the casino’s walls.
Oklahoma tribes have far larger historic tribal lands, setting up the potential for greater mobile access, assuming state policymakers and the Native American groups reach a sports betting deal. It’s unclear if tribes would look to partner with a major national commercial operator such as DraftKings or FanDuel or with third-party tech providers to create an in-house platform.
Oklahoma tribes could also agree to a statewide mobile network similar to arrangements struck in Arizona and Michigan. That structure has gained even less traction.
Legal sportsbooks will remain a focal point for the tribes and commercial operators, especially with Texas unlikely to legalize sports betting in the coming years. Oklahoma has the most casinos per capita of any state, and it has some of the largest casinos in the world near the Texas border.
