Oklahoma moves one step closer to legal sports betting

A bill to legalise in-person sports betting bill has passed a legislative committee.

US.- The Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee in Oklahoma’s House of Representatives has passed a bill that would allow sports betting in state casinos. House Bill 3008, introduced by Rep. Ken Luttrell, passed out of committee by six votes to four. 

The bill would add in-person sports wagering to the list of games the state could negotiate compacts with the state’s tribes for. Luttrell said that besides creating over 3,000 new jobs, legalising sports wagering would be an economic boon to the tribes, the state and public education.

He said: “I’ll be satisfied if this doesn’t go anywhere, if it can’t pass the House, if we can’t get it heard in the Senate if we can get people to the table for some open, meaningful dialogue,” Luttrell said during the meeting.

Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, said: “Our members are very interested in the subject, they engage quite regularly within their own communities and their local representatives and state senators. Everybody is unique when it comes to their markets and what they would like to see.”

HB 3008, which does not include online sports betting, will now go to the full Appropriations and Budget Committee for consideration. Full support of the House and Governor Kevin Stitt is still needed. The effort has been defeated in the legislature several times before.