Oklahoma sports betting supporters may have a clearer path to legalization in 2027, according to a senior executive with one of the state's largest tribal gaming operators.
- A senior Choctaw Nation gaming executive said Oklahoma sports betting legalization prospects could improve significantly after Gov. Kevin Stitt leaves office in January 2027.
- Supporters believe a tribal-backed sports betting framework that nearly passed this year could have a stronger path forward under a new governor viewed as more supportive of tribal gaming interests.
- Industry leaders also warned that federally regulated prediction markets continue expanding in Oklahoma, offering sports-related products that critics say compete with sportsbooks without generating state tax revenue.
Speaking during a panel discussion at last week's SBC Summit, Tom McDonald, a senior gaming executive for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, said he believes the near passage of sports betting legislation this year could have even stronger prospects next year once Gov. Kevin Stitt leaves office.
"I thought we had a decent chance of passing it this year," McDonald said when asked whether Oklahoma could legalize sports betting next year. "It definitely helps."
Oklahoma remains one of 11 states without legal retail or online sports betting despite operating one of the nation's largest tribal gaming industries. The state has more tribal casinos per capita than any other state, and Indian Country gaming generates more than $6 billion annually, accounting for roughly 5% of Oklahoma's gross domestic product.
Efforts to legalize sports wagering have repeatedly stalled amid disagreements over who should control the market and whether tribes should maintain exclusive rights to offer sports betting.
McDonald pointed directly to Stitt as one of the largest obstacles.
"Gov. Stitt was actively trying to promote the tribes not having exclusivity," McDonald said. "He wanted to sell licenses. He's not a fan of tribes. He would like to see commercial gaming in the state of Oklahoma."
Oklahoma sports betting background
The governor's position has frequently put him at odds with Oklahoma's roughly three-dozen tribal nations, which operate gaming under tribal-state compacts and have sought to preserve their exclusive gaming rights.
The latest legislative effort failed in April when the Oklahoma Senate voted 21-27 against a sports betting bill that would have authorized statewide online wagering and retail sportsbooks at tribal casinos. The legislation had previously passed the Oklahoma House and was supported by many of the state's gaming tribes as well as major national sportsbook operators, including FanDuel and DraftKings.
Under that proposal, tribes would have partnered collectively with commercial sportsbook operators, creating a model different from states such as Michigan, Arizona, and Connecticut, where tribes typically partner with a single sportsbook brand.
Supporters argued the bill would have created one of the country's most competitive tribal sports betting markets. Any qualified sportsbook operator could have sought market access through participating tribes, potentially opening the door for all major national brands.
The proposal also faced a significant political hurdle; Stitt remained a potential veto threat even if lawmakers had approved the measure. That concern could disappear after Oklahoma elects a new governor.
"There is no such thing as a Democratic Party basically in Oklahoma," McDonald said. "In the Republican primary, I feel pretty good that everybody that's running this year actually has a public service record that we can verify that they're pro-tribe, tribes in general, and they're supportive of tribal gaming in the state of Oklahoma."
Another challenge has been educating lawmakers on the details of sports betting legislation. Oklahoma experienced significant turnover in the Senate during the last election cycle, forcing tribal supporters and industry stakeholders to revisit conversations with new legislators, McDonald said.
Asked to quantify the chances of legalization next year, McDonald offered an unusually specific prediction.
"I'd say 68% yes," he said.
Broader context
The discussion occurred during a broader panel examining the future of tribal gaming and the rise of prediction markets, which many tribal operators view as a growing competitive threat.
Several speakers during last week’s industry conference expressed concern that federally regulated event-contract platforms could expand into products that increasingly resemble sports betting while operating outside traditional state gaming frameworks. A growing number of federally licensed prediction market sites already operate in the state, giving Oklahoma sports bettors a platform that critics say replicates sportsbooks but without providing tax revenue.
Oklahoma has remained one of the most notable untapped potential legal sports betting markets. With a powerful tribal gaming industry already in place and a governor who is leaving office in January, supporters increasingly view 2027 as the best opportunity yet to finally bring legal sports betting to the state.
Whether elected officials can capitalize on that opportunity remains uncertain, but McDonald's comments suggest tribal operators believe the political environment may soon be more favorable than at any time during Oklahoma's modern sports betting debate.
