Changes are coming to Native American tribes in Oklahoma and Kansas in regards to sports betting. Both states will make tribes the focal point of sports betting in their states.
In Oklahoma, the House approved legislation that gives the tribes the ability to offer both retail and online sports wagering. This comes a year after a similar bill failed in the legislature.
State Rep. Ken Luttrell told the Norman Transcript that most of the tribes, especially the larger ones, were enthusiastic about hosting sports betting.
“But more than an economic engine and an economic reason, it’s also part of the responsibility that we have to our citizens to put some regulations in place on an unregulated, illegal industry and put some guidelines in place and partner with our tribal partners to present responsible gaming,” Luttrell said.
As the bill is written, the state would receive a sliding scale of the taxable revenue. The first $5 million would be taxed at 4 percent, 5 percent for the next $5 million, and 6 percent of anything over that.
The Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services estimates sports betting would result in new revenues ranging from $493,000 to nearly $9.4 million a year.
Rep. Carl Newton told the Transcript that increasing gambling in the state is morally wrong.
“Granted, you can bring in revenue, money for the state maybe, but I still just don’t think that that helps our family lives and those back home, especially those that have an addiction with gambling,” Newton said. “It just makes it another avenue for them to spend their money, which maybe could be needed on more essential items for the family.”
In Kansas, the Legislature is debating a bill that would have Governor Laura Kelly renegotiate gaming compacts with the state’s tribes. Sports betting has been legal in the state since September 2022.
SB 322 would also allow for sports betting beyond tribal lands. That could possibly violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). A similar situation is playing out in a Florida court with the state and tribes.
