Kevin Stitt Knows He's The Biggest Roadblock to Oklahoma Sports Betting

With yet another Oklahoma sports betting push having fizzled out, everyone is once again left to take stock of what went wrong, and what comes next.

On many occasions, tackling the fallout from these processes isn’t so cut-and-dry. A myriad of factors go into failed sports wagering measures. For Governor Kevin Stitt, though, the absence of an agreement to bring sports betting to Oklahoma isn’t a complex mystery. Instead, he thinks it boils down to one thing: tribal nations waiting for him to leave office.

“We analyzed the 30 or 40 states that actually have sportsbooks and put a great plan together,” Stitt said. “We set it out to have more of a free-market approach. [But] as I’ve said before, I think the big casinos, the big bosses, are waiting until I’m out of office. So we’ll see what happens, I guess, in 2027.” 

This aligns with everything we’ve known about Oklahoma sports betting legalization from the outset. Governor Stitt wants a free market that allows The Sooner State to tap into the rise of online sports betting in the United States. Tribes, on the other hand, believe their gaming compact with Oklahoma means that they are entitled to exclusivity over gambling operations. 

And yet, this isn’t a novel issue. Other states have dealt with similarly warring agendas and found ways to reach a middle ground. This raises the question: Why is the case of Oklahoma sports betting any different?

Governor Stitt’s Relationship with Tribal Nations has Impeded Oklahoma Sports Betting from the Very Beginning

A shaky dynamic between Governor Stitt and Oklahoma’s tribal nations has contributed to a lack of consensus and compromise on the matter. This isn’t an issue that’s new, either. The two sides have ostensibly been at odds since the very beginning.

Shortly after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, Governor Stitt apparently attempted to renegotiate gaming compacts with the select tribes. This, of course, did not go over well. It sets the stage for the circumstances the Oklahoma sports betting conversation must navigate now.

Chief among those obstacles is Governor Stitt’s preference to let online sportsbooks in the United States run the mobile betting tables. As Legal Sports Report’s Pat Evans writes:

“In 2023, Stitt revealed a plan for sports betting that would open up the market to commercial operators. That proposal would allow in-person sportsbooks at tribal casinos. Stitt’s plan, however, would allow commercial entities to control the online market. He pointed to the plan during this legislative session. The tribes and legislators have not expressed interest in his plan, though.”

It seemingly says a lot that Oklahoma’s legislators are not overwhelmingly on board with Stitt’s approach. Make no mistake, he has his allies, but the stubbornness in his vision is becoming a sore spot.

Can Legislators Negotiate a Sports Betting Model without Stitt?

Tensions are so high, in fact, many are starting to wonder whether state legislators can subsume control over negotiations and approval from the Governor. Mr. Stitt has previously stated he would veto any of the Oklahoma sports betting bills currently under consideration. So even when the subject makes progress in the House of Representatives, it stands to be dead on arrival upon reaching the Senate.

This problem is similar to the primary issue facing attempts to legalize sports betting in Texas. There is more opposition to sports wagering among legislators in The Lone Star State, particularly inside the Senate. But Texas sports betting efforts are considered identically dead on arrival if they make it out of the House, because Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has little interest in exploring initiatives that aren’t crafted entirely by republicans. 

Again: This isn’t entirely the same. Governor Stitt isn’t against Oklahoma sports betting, or even bi-partisan proposals. He’s more so opposed to the tribal exclusivity element—so much so that he’d apparently rather cut out Oklahoma sports betting revenue potential altogether than consider adjusting his own vision.

Governor Stitt May have just revealed the Oklahoma Sports Betting Timeline

By his own ission, Governor Stitt believes the tribes are waiting until he’s out of office before diving deeper into Oklahoma sports betting negotiations. If this is true, it lays the groundwork of a timeline for launch.

Voters will cast their decision on the Governor of Oklahoma during the 2026 gubernatorial election. Mr. Stitt is term limited, and therefore cannot seek reelection. So there will be a new Governor of The Sooner State by 2027.

At that point, Oklahoma can hope to approve a sports betting bill during 2027 legislative meetings. And if that happens, it paves the way for operations to launch sometime in 2028. 

However, this all presumes that the legalization of sports betting in Oklahoma will not require a constitutional amendment. If it does, then any measure will need to be approved by voters during the 2028 general election, which would be held in November. Within this scenario, then, the launch of Oklahoma sports betting likely isn’t happening before 2029, if not 2030. That’s a big difference.

For now, though, nothing is set in stone. Maybe Governor Stitt and tribal leaders find common ground within the next year, laying the breadcrumbs for a more expeditious agreement. Failing that, the wait for Oklahoma sports betting figures to last at least another couple of years. 

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