Oklahoma Lawmakers Revive Sports Betting Bill With Key Amendments Ahead of Senate Vote

Oklahoma lawmakers have introduced a new amendment to a stalled 2025 sports betting bill, securing key stakeholder backing and moving it ahead of an expected vote in the Senate.

In a press release, Sen. Bill Coleman and Rep. Ken Luttrell said they’ve secured backing from tribal leaders, public universities, and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The substitute defines a framework for both retail and mobile sports betting, as well as the state’s revenue distribution.

The House passed the original bill, HB 1047, last year before it stalled in the Senate. If the amended version passes in the Senate, it would return to the House for another vote.

Amendment Introduces Updated Tribal and Mobile Framework

The substitute replaces the previous version of HB 1047 and would create a structure allowing Oklahoma tribes to offer retail and mobile sports betting through the state’s existing gaming compact system.

The measure would allow tribes to partner with commercial operators such as FanDuel or DraftKings, with all wagering legally attributed to tribal lands where the servers are located. Unlike Wisconsin’s recently passed bill, there are no revenue-sharing requirements, allowing for open negotiations between tribes and operators.

Under the new version, the state will receive an 8% fee of adjusted sports betting revenue. Additional provisions include:

• All state revenue associated with NBA and WNBA wagers would be directed to early childhood literacy programs
• The remaining funds would be split among higher education, student development programs, workforce initiatives, and a tourism-focused fund leveraging the Thunder’s global reach.
• A fixed monthly deposit for problem gambling treatment and education services.

Lawmakers Emphasize Years of Negotiation

Coleman framed the amendment as the result of prolonged negotiations between stakeholders:

This is a big day for Oklahoma. 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.”

He added that the proposal is designed to balance tribal interests with broader market demand:

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.”

Luttrell, the bill’s primary House author, also pointed to the long development timeline behind the proposal:

This has been a long road in the making. 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.”

Stakeholder Alignment Marks Shift From Previous Efforts

According to the lawmakers, the proposal has the backing of a supermajority of tribes within the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, as well as public universities and the Thunder.

The backing could be critical as it addresses one of the key challenges that have stalled previous sports betting efforts in Oklahoma. Disagreements between tribes and lawmakers, particularly with the governor’s office, have stopped legislation.

Governor’s Position Remains a Key Variable

Despite the tribal backing and new legislative momentum, Governor Kevin Stitt remains a key hurdle. Stitt has said he supports legalized sports betting, but under a free-market model rather than one controlled by the tribes.

In 2025, he said negotiations had excluded the governor and the state. Stitt added that HB 1047 and other proposals benefit only the tribes.

A spokesperson for the governor told local news outlet News 9:

Governor Stitt has been clear that he will only support a free market approach to sports betting in Oklahoma. No legislation has reached his desk yet, so we won’t comment on specifics of pending legislation.”

The spokesperson added:

The Governor is not interested in expanding Democrat Gov. Brad Henry’s bad gaming compact that lacks transparency and fair market rates.”