The Governor of Oklahoma supports legalizing sports betting

expressing his backing

Kevin Stitt, the governor of Oklahoma, supports moving forward with allowing sports betting in the state.

if it is fair, open, and allows the state to generate the most income possible.

Stitt expressed his support for the measure in a tweet on Tuesday, writing, "Provided that it's fair, transparent, and the state can maximize revenue potential to spend in priority priorities, including education." Additionally, he noted that more would be revealed on the subject once the 2023 congressional session begins on February 6.

The most recent endeavor Earlier attempts to allow sports betting in Oklahoma were unsuccessful. Rep. Ken Luttrell, who has introduced sports betting proposals in several legislative sessions, has been one of those who has been spearheading the charge in recent years. According to Luttrell, a considerable portion of Oklahomans use unlicensed sportsbooks to make wagers, which means the state is losing out on a sizable amount of money.

Since the federal ban on gambling on sports was lifted in May 2018, more than 30 US states have already allowed sports betting.

The lack of monitoring of these offshore platforms, he added, can cause a number of problems. Many bettors cross state borders to place their wagers; nearby states like Colorado and Kansas already have sportsbooks operating. With retail and online sports betting as alternatives, Luttrell has closely collaborated with tribes to construct his sports betting strategy.

An important area of worry

The tense relationship that Governor Stitt has with the tribes is one of the issues of worry that would appear to be holding down legalization efforts in the past. The state's 39 distinct tribes play a significant impact in political decisions. Despite opposition from numerous tribal groups, Stitt's gubernatorial reelection campaign was successful this year. an unsuccessful attempt to renegotiate the tribe-state casino compacts.

Stitt's attempt to renegotiate the tribal-state gambling compacts during his first year as governor served as the impetus for the strained relationship between him and the tribes that exists now. Additionally, his government sought to repeal a US Supreme Court ruling on tribal autonomy from 2020. Fishing and hunting agreements between the tribes and the state were canceled by Governor Stitt last year.