Oklahoma's Gambling History
Back in the 80s, pari-mutuel horseracing was legalized in Oklahoma, allowing citizens to place bets on their favorite horse and collect winnings at the end of a race if they chose the right horse. At the turn of the 90's, some of the tribes that made up the population in Oklahoma operated bingo halls and signed pacts with the government that allowed them to own horse racing tracks and run pari-mutuel betting. These tribes became part of the gambling industry in Oklahoma which blew up following a public referendum in 2004 that legalized Las-Vegas style gambling in the state. As things stand in 2024, a total of 33 tribes in Oklahoma have signed the Tribal-State Compact that permits legal running of more than 140 tribal casinos, where players can wager on horse races, participate in bingo tournaments, and purchase lottery tickets.
Oklahoma Gambling Laws
Land-based casinos operated by any of the 33 tribes that signed the Tribal-State pact are legal. In addition, horseback gambling is considered legal alongside lotteries and raffles controlled by registered businesses in accordance with the Oklahoma Charity Games Act. All other forms of gambling, including online games are illegal. However, the authorities are not very keen on enforcement of the Oklahoma Gambling laws, which classify participating in unlawful games of chance as a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of a fine between $25 and $100.
Off-shore Online Gambling in Oklahoma
With the majority of the tribes in Oklahoma enjoined in the Tribe-State agreement giving the rights of running casinos to the tribes, online gaming sites face severe opposition. As such, the state does not have any regulating bodies that control online gambling in 2024. That leaves residents seeking to play online slots, online blackjack, and virtual roulette to consider joining the best real money off-shore platforms, which is technically illegal, but possible due to laxity in enforcing the laws.
Legal Forms Of Gambling in Oklahoma
Allowing the tribes to run casinos and gaming in Oklahoma worked well for the state since legal casinos contribute lots of revenue annually. To be admitted inside one of the many tribal casinos, you must be 18 years or older. A few tribal establishments set the minimum age for admission to 21 years. Competition between casinos has led to the growth of the gaming industry, with every operator offering a unique experience to members. Players can choose from a wide range of betting options that include bingo, poker, lotteries, daily fantasy sports, parimutuel horseracing, blackjack, and slot machines.
Gaming Inside Tribal Casinos In Oklahoma
Over 140 casinos operate legally in Oklahoma, mainly run by 33 out of the 38 native American tribes recognized by the federal government. These range from small-time establishments that offer bingo tournaments to big casinos that offer an expansive collection of betting options like blackjack, poker, baccarat, and virtual horse racing. A couple of the most successful casinos include the Choctaw Casino Resort which is ran by the Choctaw Nation, Winstar World Casino, ran by the Chickasaw Nation, and the Grand Casino Hotel and Resort ran by the Potawatomi Nation.
Procceds from the tribal casinos are shared with the state, giving the tribes a say in how the gaming industry is run. Proof of how important the tribal casinos are to Oklahoma can be found in the overturning of a petition filed by Kevin Stitt, the Oklahoma governor who wanted casinos to invalidate the signed pact that legalized tribal casinos back in 2004. Influence from the tribal leaders saw the petition dismissed in federal court in 2020 and a decision made that the validity of the pact was automatically renewed for another 15 years.
Since the state does not have a local regulating body, tribal casinos have to run their operations following the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Status Of Sportsbetting In Oklahoma
After a failed attempt at compelling tribal casinos to conform to the state demands by Gov. Kevin Stitt, he took the initiative of legalizing sports betting. Had he succeeded, sports betting platforms would have brought competition to the well-funded tribal casinos. But the Oklahoma Supreme Court stopped the governor in his tracks, terming the attempt to legalize sports betting as overstepping his mandate. In the ruling, it was established that only the legislative arm of government could legalize sports betting in Oklahoma. Some of the small tribes had already come on board with Gov. Stitt's plan and signed agreements that would have seen them become the first legal bookies in the state. But after the court's ruling, the decision to legalize sports betting was shelved for a later date.
State Owned Horseracing Events
Horseracing was entrenched in the gambling industry of Oklahoma since the 80s and remains a popular sport in the state to date. Currently, residents can place bets on live horse racing events in the Remington Park located in Oklahoma City. Alternatively, players can place bets at the occasional state-run horse racing events at the Will Rogers Downs in Claremore or the Fair Meadows located in Tulsa. When no horses are running the tracks, players can wager on Off-Track betting available in all three venues. Over the Internet, horseracing bets can be found on the popular TwinSpires platform which offers both live events and Off-Track betting.
Oklahoma Lotteries
Residents of Oklahoma have choices of six lotteries with massive grand prizes for winners which include Lucky for Life, Pick 3, Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, and Cash 5. None of the lotteries offer online tickets, leaving interested participants to purchase physical tickets in authorized land-based betting shops. Depending on the lottery, players can buy tickets worth between $1 and $10.
Local Bingo Games
A large percentage of bingo games in the state are run by charities, which must specify their cause to members. Small tribal casinos offer bingo games alongside other titles as a way of attracting new members.
