This Sunday’s Super Bowl is widely recognized as the biggest day for legal sports betting, consistently shattering records in the billions.
Many fans in Oklahoma are expected to place wagers on the game, but the state itself will not see any of that revenue.
Capitol Reporter Haley Hetrick is examining the odds that sports betting could become legal in Oklahoma this year.
One bill could change everything
Only a handful of sports betting bills have been introduced at the state Capitol, but supporters say just one needs to pass to move Oklahoma forward.
Sen. Bill Coleman believes the state is close to legalizing sports betting and says he is ready to act.
“I think we’re first down and goal on sports betting in Oklahoma from about the six-yard line.”
Coleman says his perspective shifted after personally traveling out of state to place a wager.
“I took a drive to Wichita, Kansas, just south of there to the casino, to make a sports bet.”
That experience, he said, highlighted the money Oklahoma is losing to neighboring states.
“I realized we’re losing money in the state of Oklahoma. We’re losing it to out of state.”
Betting is already happening in Oklahoma
Supporters of legalization argue that sports betting is already taking place in Oklahoma, just not in a way that benefits the state.
One example is Kalshi, an online prediction market where users can wager on outcomes ranging from sports to politics.
Users can even place wagers on the state’s next governor.
“You can do anything on this thing, and it’s perfectly legal. The state of Oklahoma gets zero revenue from Kalshi. The state of Oklahoma has no say in how it’s regulated,” Coleman said.
Kalshi and similar platforms operate as prediction markets, classifying their offerings as financial derivatives rather than sports betting. That distinction allows them to bypass state-level restrictions. Market data shows more than $2 billion is traded on Kalshi every week.
“The longer we let them entrench themselves into this market, the less money we’re going to be able to take in what sports betting does become legal in the state of Oklahoma.”
Multiple stakeholders, one major hurdle
Legalizing sports betting in Oklahoma involves more than lawmakers alone.
In addition to legislative approval and the governor’s signature, any plan must also align with existing gaming compacts involving 39 tribal nations.
The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association said delays have been frustrating.
Chairman Matthew Morgan says each group involved has its own priorities. Customers want access similar to what exists in 39 other states, while lawmakers are focused on availability statewide.
“The longer it’s drawn out, it has been a little bit frustrating for us, through the Oklahoma Gaming Association, because, you know, we feel like we’ve been at the table and ready to have productive and respectful conversations,” Morgan said.
For tribal leaders, the key issue is ensuring any plan does not violate existing gaming compacts.
What legalization could look like
Under current proposals, only tribal nations would be eligible for sports betting licenses. Professional sports teams, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, could participate only as partners.
“I think under our proposals, what we’ve advocated for, you would see the FanDuels, the DraftKings, the Fanatics, the Caesars all come into state to partner with the tribal licensee,” Morgan said.
Morgan believes an agreement could still be reached during this legislative session, opening the door for legal sports betting by the end of 2026.
“I think that there are a couple of bills out there that I would tell you, let’s do 3 or 4 tweaks you were probably there on. I mean, the bones in the foundation are there in a good way. Just needs a few tweaks here and there from my perspective.”
Statement from the OKC Thunder:
“The Thunder fully supports legal statewide sports gambling. We will continue to work with all parties to try and make it happen,” said Dan Mahoney, OKC Thunder spokesperson.
The legislative path forward
Ultimately, supporters say it would take just one successful vote in the Senate to move the process forward.
Two bills are currently under consideration. House Bill 1047, known as the “original plan,” would allow tribal nations to offer retail and online sports betting, with the state receiving a 10% revenue fee. House Bill 1101 offers a referendum path, sending the decision to voters if the original plan fails or is vetoed.
Both proposals would allocate gaming revenue toward education, mental health services, and responsible gaming initiatives.
This article was originally published by News on 6. You can see the original story here.