OPINION: Oklahoma Lawmakers Should Just Let Voters Decide On Sports Betting

• Two sports betting bills in Oklahoma are nearing a vote on the House floor.
• One sets up an entire framework while the other moves the choice to Oklahoma voters.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Advancing out of a House subcommittee on Monday, House Bill 1047 remains the primary focus of Oklahoma’s sports betting legislation in 2025.

While it aims to land Oklahoma legal sports betting through tribal gaming compacts, lawmakers are considering the easy way out if it fails or faces a veto: letting voters decide.

House Bill 1101 – also advancing to the Appropriations and Budget Committee – would put the decision in the hands of the people if lawmakers can’t get sports betting through.

For too long, sports betting has been a political football in Oklahoma. While neighboring states like Arkansas and Missouri have successfully embraced legal sports betting through ballot initiatives, Oklahoma’s legislative efforts have repeatedly hit a wall.

Rep. Ken Luttrell and other proponents have pushed for years to legalize sports betting through tribal partnerships, but progress has been slow. Now, instead of waiting indefinitely for a breakthrough in negotiations, H.B. 1101 provides a straightforward alternative: let Oklahoma voters decide for themselves.

The National Landscape Supports a Ballot Initiative

If Oklahoma lawmakers need a playbook for how voter-driven sports betting approval can work, they don’t have to look far. Arkansas legalized sports betting through a 2018 ballot measure, and Missouri recently became the 39th state to approve sports betting through the same process. These states, like Oklahoma, have deep tribal gaming roots, yet they found a way to modernize their laws without years of political infighting.

That’s not to say the process is always smooth. California serves as a cautionary tale, where two competing sports betting ballot measures in 2024 both failed spectacularly.

The lesson? A clear, unified proposal is essential.

If Oklahoma lawmakers want a referendum to succeed, they must ensure that voters are presented with a simple, well-structured plan that aligns with the state’s existing tribal gaming framework.

The Case for Bringing the Decision to the People

More than 30 tribes operate over 100 casinos in Oklahoma, suggesting there is already a strong foundation for sports betting.

Luttrell’s recent comments are persuasive: if 61% of Oklahomans engaged in gambling last year, that’s a strong indication that voters are ready for regulated sports betting. Instead of watching potential tax revenue flow to Kansas, Arkansas, and other states with legal sportsbooks, Oklahoma should be positioning itself to keep those dollars at home.

Oklahoma is already one of the last states to embrace sports betting. While a voter referendum may not be a perfect solution, but it’s certainly better than endless delays.

News tags: Arkansas | California | Kansas | Ken Luttrell | Missouri | OK HB 1047 | OK HB 1101 | Oklahoma