Gambling deal with two Oklahoma tribes announced

Governor signs 15-year compacts with Red Rock, an Oklahoma-based Otoe-Missouria Tribe and the Lawton-based Comanche Nation.

US.- The Governor of Oklahoma has reached a gambling deal with two Native American tribes to increase the state’s share of revenue from new casinos.

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced the deal on Tuesday, but he still faces a legal dispute over gambling with 10 other tribes.

As part of the deals reached, Stitt has signed new gaming compacts for 15 years with Red Rock, an Oklahoma-based Otoe-Missouria Tribe and the Lawton-based Comanche Nation.

These compacts are still awaiting ratification by the U.S. Department of the Interior, but it demonstrates a sign of progress for the state and its Governor.

In an announcement with both leaders of the tribes at a signing ceremony, Smitt said: “This modernised gaming compact expands opportunities for our tribal partners, enhances revenue for the state from Class III and covered games, and will strengthen state-tribal relations for generations to come.

“The new compacts recognise the sovereign rights of individual tribes to conduct gaming in Oklahoma.

“The compacts take a sound approach to assessing the value of substantial exclusivity in a modernised tribal gaming industry, and importantly, the compacts expand opportunity for both the compacting tribes and the State to compete in future gaming markets.”

In February, a judge ordered Oklahoman tribes to mediate their gambling compact dispute with the state.