OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt wants to legalize Sports Betting, and he has an ambitious timeline.
Stitt on Friday said he wants state lawmakers to sign off on sports betting during the four-month legislative session that begins Feb. 6.
“If we’re going to do it, I’m the kind of person that says, ‘hey, let’s get it done now,'” Stitt told the hosts of local sports radio show The Franchise.
Stitt said he wants to see mobile sports betting so people can place bets on their phones. Any tax revenue from sports betting could go toward education or economic development, he said.
The governor said he is trying to bring together all the parties involved to discuss what Legalized Sports Betting should look like in Oklahoma.
“Right now, we’re just kind of studying it, bringing all the stakeholders together,” Stitt said. “We’ve got some casinos that want to be a part of that. We’ve got the (Oklahoma City) Thunder … and the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State athletic departments that want to weigh in.”
People are also reading…
It’s unclear if Stitt will be able to get Oklahoma’s Native American tribes, which hold the exclusive right to offer gambling in the state, and a majority of state lawmakers to agree on the details of legalized sports betting.
Despite his rocky relationship with some of the state’s major tribes, Stitt, who is a member of the Cherokee Nation, expressed confidence that tribal leaders will come to the negotiating table. But he also said the tribes aren’t the only group that should have a say when designing a legal sports betting program.
The simplest answer in maybe. But, it’s complicated issue.
Stitt’s had a strained relationship with many of the tribes since he aggressively pushed to renegotiate the state’s tribal gaming compacts.
In the radio interview, Stitt said any deal on sportsbook must be fair for all Oklahomans. He made similar comments when he tried to renegotiate the compacts to increase the state’s share of gaming revenue.
Rep. Ken Luttrell, who filed legislation to legalize sports betting, said he’s optimistic Stitt and the tribes can work together on this issue.
“Going into the governor’s second term, he has buried the hatchet with no hard feelings over the election and the tribes supporting his opponent,” Luttrell said. “I think he realizes the advantages to cooperating with the tribes and working together on projects that move the state of Oklahoma forward.”
This is the second year in a row Luttrell, R-Ponca City, has filed a bill to legalize sports betting. He said it feels like there’s more momentum this year as a growing number of states legalize sports betting or consider expanding their gaming operations.
Luttrell’s House Bill 1027 proposes adding in-person and mobile sports betting as a supplement to the state-tribal model gaming compact. Tribes would have the exclusive right to offer sports gaming, but they could partner with companies like DraftKings or MGM sportsbook to help with their operations. The state would receive a percentage of gaming revenue.
Some tribal leaders are apprehensive about working with the governor, but they’re not opposed to having an open and respectful dialogue about sports betting, said Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Chairman Matthew Morgan.
Local tribes are intrigued and excited about the prospect of sports betting, but the details of any proposal are key, Morgan said. He suggested state leaders come to the tribes with some parameters for sports betting to see if their priorities align.
“I think we can all agree sports betting is occurring already in the state, and that the state and tribes would love to add that as a form of gaming,” he said. “But what does that proposal really look like in terms of who’s taking the risk and how the revenue is split up?”
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 paved the way for legal sports betting, which is now offered in 36 states, including Kansas, Arkansas and Colorado.
Q&A: Legalized sports betting in Oklahoma. A glance into the different views of this complex issue
Vote Now: Should Oklahoma legalize sports betting?
A bill has been introduced in the state House that could lead to legalized sports gaming in Oklahoma. Are you for or against it? Cast your vote.
You voted:
Where does it stand?
A bill has been introduced in the state House by Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, that would add legalized sports betting to existing gaming compacts between the state and the state’s tribes. Under the bill, 10% of the revenue generated would go to the state.
What are the chances of the bill being heard, debated and passed?
No one is really sure. The bill, or anything like it addressing the issue, would likely need the backing of legislative leadership for it to go anywhere. Contacted last month by the Tulsa World, House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat said through spokesmen they had no comment on the issue.
The Legislature convened this year on Feb. 7. It must adjourn by May 27, but the session could end earlier. Treat in a statement in 2020 told the Tulsa World “I’ve consistently said that I think sports betting or wagering is a potential negotiating point for the state in its compact negotiations with the tribes.”
What are the obstacles to legalized sports betting?
Most observers have said it is soured relations between Gov. Kevin Stitt and state tribal leaders, who have fought over gaming compacts, and continue to fight over hunting and fishing licenses, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt decision.
“I don’t think you can separate the subject matter from the entire landscape between the governor’s office and the tribal leaders,” said Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association.
“There’s always been a line of communication. We don’t see that here. That’s unfortunate. That’s a sad situation for everybody. We’re not meeting our potential. We’re not doing everything that can possibly be done.”
“Governor Stitt is open to any compact as long as it is a fair deal, enforceable, and provides the transparency and accountability all 4 million Oklahomans deserve,” Stitt’s office said in a statement to the Tulsa World.
There are also many conservative members in the Legislature who do not favor gaming on moral grounds, and do not want to see it expanded with legalized sports betting.
What are the arguments for legalizing sports betting in Oklahoma?
They are two-fold. First, proponents argue, sports betting is already going on in the state through illegal means, either online or through sports bookies. “Oklahomans are getting on the internet every day and placing illegal bets in the sports market,” Morgan said.
Second, several states in the region have already legalized sports betting, including Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Colorado. “There’s no doubt that bettors will drive to partake in their entertainment purposes,” Morgan said.
At least 30 states and the District of Columbia have approved various forms of legalized sports betting – in person, online and through phone apps — since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that said states could do so if they choose.
Proponents argue that revenue being made in those states in the region with legalized sports betting could be going into both the coffers of the state of Oklahoma and local tribes.
How much money is involved?
A staggering amount. As of Feb. 7, according to legalsportsreport.com, more than $96 billion has been wagered legally on sports in the U.S. since the 2018 Supreme Court decision. Of that figure, about $7 billion in revenue has been made by gaming establishments, and more than $900 million has gone to local and state governments, according to the website. The amount of money kept by states and local governments varies by state from 6.2% to 15.1%, according to the site.
Luttrell in a news release announcing his bill said it would generate an estimated $240 million in revenue for Oklahoma and create over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.
According to the American Gaming Association, 37.5 million Americans will bet on this year’s Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams – a 35% increase from last year, the Associated Press reported. The jump is mostly due to legalized sports betting, the AGA said. The total estimated amount that will be wagered on the game – including legal, illegal, personal bets with relatives and office pools is more than $7.6 billion, a 78% increase from last year, the AGA said.
Could tribes in Oklahoma offer legalized sports betting in their casinos without approval of the Legislature?
No. Legalized sports betting is not currently included in existing gaming compacts between the state and tribes, and any changes in the compacts would require legislative approval.
If legalized sports betting is approved and signed into law, Morgan said, a formal offer would then be made to tribes. If accepted, the change would then go to the U.S. Department of Interior, which would likely quickly approve it, given the Supreme Court decision.
So will anything be approved this year?
No one knows for sure, but proponents have reason to be optimistic with the introduction of Luttrell’s bill. The issue has not been on the legislative agenda since the Supreme Court’s decision, despite the expectation among many observers that it would quickly be approved.
“This legislation just makes sense,” Luttrell said in his news release.
If legalized sports betting is not taken up or approved this year, a similar effort could be taken up during the next legislative session.
