Oklahoma’s Sports Betting Push Stalls Again

Efforts to legalize sports betting in Oklahoma remain deadlocked as Governor Kevin Stitt and tribal leaders continue to spar over gaming exclusivity. The latest twist comes from the state’s lone NBA franchise, the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is seeking a stake in the potential market.

During a legislative study last week, a Thunder representative proposed a new framework: a single statewide retail and mobile sports betting license shared between either the team or a tribal consortium. Under the proposal, 0.25% of the total betting handle would go to the franchise, according to KOSU.

The idea marks the first time a professional sports team has publicly sought direct participation in Oklahoma’s gambling market. It also underscores the widening rift between the governor and the state’s tribes over who should control — and benefit from — legalized sports betting.

Gov. Kevin Stitt	Tribal Nations	Oklahoma City Thunder	Lawmakers
Opposes tribal exclusivity; favors opening online market to commercial operators. Vows veto for exclusivity bills.	Defend exclusive gaming rights under state compacts; paid $210M to state in 2024; resist non-tribal operators.	Proposes shared statewide license or revenue share (0.25% of handle) to secure team participation and benefit.	Split: some back compact amendments to allow tribal betting; others consider taking over compact talks amid impasse.

 

Tribal Exclusivity at the Core

At the center of the impasse is tribal gaming exclusivity. Oklahoma’s 38 federally recognized tribes currently operate casinos under state compacts that guarantee exclusive gaming rights in exchange for payments to the state — $210 million in 2024 alone.

Governor Stitt has consistently opposed any sports betting proposal that maintains tribal exclusivity. Tribal leaders, however, view attempts to include commercial or non-tribal operators, such as the Thunder, as a direct violation of their compacts. “Any breakdown in the gaming compacts would create major uncertainty for both the casino industry in Oklahoma, a major economic driver for both the tribes and the state,” said Rep. Ken Luttrell, who has led several legalization efforts. “It could lead to legal challenges and threaten the operational stability of the casinos.”

Despite the tensions, Luttrell’s 2025 proposal advanced farther than any previous sports betting effort. Backed by the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, the plan would have allowed tribes to amend their existing compacts to include sports wagering. The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate without a final vote before adjournment. Luttrell had also introduced a backup measure to send the issue to voters if Stitt vetoed the legislation, echoing the 2003 referendum that created the state lottery.

 

Governor’s Standoff with Tribes

Governor Stitt, who has two years left in his term, has made clear he will veto any bill that grants tribes exclusive control over sports betting. In 2023, he unveiled an alternative plan to open the online betting market to commercial operators while limiting in-person sportsbooks to tribal casinos — a proposal tribes rejected.

Stitt has said he is “not disappointed” by this year’s failure, suggesting the tribes are waiting out his administration. The governor’s relationship with tribal leaders has been strained since 2020, when courts struck down his attempt to authorize sports betting through two unilateral compacts. Some Republican lawmakers, frustrated with the deadlock, have even floated taking over compact negotiations themselves — an unprecedented move that would further complicate tribal-state relations.

 

Any breakdown in the gaming compacts would create major uncertainty for both the casino industry in Oklahoma and the state.

 

Looking Ahead

For now, Oklahoma remains one of the largest U.S. states without legal sports betting, even as neighboring markets in Kansas and Arkansas move forward. Still, the industry’s potential continues to draw interest. The Choctaw Nation, one of the state’s largest tribes, signed a multi-state sportsbook agreement with Kambi in 2024. Its flagship casino sits just north of the Texas border and holds sponsorship deals with several Texas-based professional teams, including the Rangers and Mavericks.

With competing visions from the governor, the tribes, and now the Thunder, the question of who should profit from sports betting in Oklahoma remains unresolved. Until the state’s political and tribal leaders find common ground, the issue appears destined to stay on the sidelines.