OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Bill Coleman and Rep. Ken Luttrell announced today that they will move forward with a new version of a bill to legalize sports betting after securing support from key stakeholders.
After years of negotiations, the Ponca City Republicans said this new legislation that supports public education and economic growth has support from the Oklahoma City Thunder, a supermajority of the tribes that are members of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association and the state’s leading public universities.
Coleman filed new bill language Tuesday through an amendment to House Bill 1047. He said he expects the full Senate will vote on the measure this week.
This proposal would allow Oklahoma tribes to offer in-person sports betting at their gaming facilities while also creating a framework for legalized mobile betting statewide. Under this framework, Oklahomans would be able to place wagers online through platforms operated in partnership with Oklahoma tribal nations, all in compliance with state and federal law. This structure aligns with successful models used in many other states.
“This is a big day for Oklahoma,” Coleman said. “We’re closer than we’ve ever been to legalizing sports betting. This new legislation is the product of thousands of hours of negotiations over many years. This agreement respects our tribal partners and reflects collaboration and cooperation with our NBA franchise to create a legal, above-board system that can compete with the unregulated black market and legally questionable prediction markets. Oklahomans are already placing bets through other platforms or driving out of state to make legal wagers. It’s time for all of us to come together to get behind this proposal that protects consumers and keeps those dollars here in Oklahoma to benefit our state.”
If this bill passes the Senate, it will return to the House for further consideration. Having worked on this issue since 2018, Luttrell is the bill’s primary House author.
“This has been a long road in the making,” Luttrell said. “We’ve spent years working through the details, listening to our tribal partners and working with stakeholders like the Oklahoma City Thunder to get this right. What we have now reflects that effort and gives Oklahoma a chance to finally bring this activity into a legal, regulated system. That means keeping those dollars here at home, strengthening our economy, protecting consumers and supporting critical services. We’ve done the work, and now we’re in a position to move forward with a plan that reflects years of input and careful consideration.”
The proposed amendment to HB 1047 would legalize in-person and mobile sports wagering through a supplement to the state’s Model Gaming Compact. Oklahoma’s tribes would retain the exclusive right to offer gaming in the state and be authorized to negotiate with leading national sportsbook platforms like FanDuel, DraftKings, and others, which would operate through tribal partnerships.
Sports Betting Plan
- The tribes would remit 8% of the adjusted transactional total (as defined in the compact) of sports betting earnings to the state through exclusivity fees.
- All state revenues associated with wagers placed on National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association games would be deposited into the Strong Readers Fund to support early childhood literacy programs.
- The remaining exclusivity fee revenue would be allocated in a way that supports statewide priorities and economic growth. Revenues derived from non-NBA and WNBA wagers would be divided between a fund supporting higher education, student development programs, workforce initiatives and a tourism-focused fund leveraging the Thunder’s global reach.
- A monthly deposit to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services would fund problem gambling treatment and education programs.
If passed and signed into law, Oklahoma would join 39 other states and Washington, D.C., that have some form of legalized sports betting.
The legislation filed can be found here.
