Oklahoma Tribal Gaming

Indian casinos are prominent in Oklahoma. The tribes have entered compacts with the state which permit them to operate Class II and certain Class III gaming machines, as well as non-house-banked blackjack and poker. Since the enactment of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, over 30 tribes have signed compacts with the state.

In November 2004, the State-Tribal Gaming Act was passed. The act contains a Model Tribal Gaming Compact, and Indian tribes that agree to the compact can offer electronic bonanza-style bingo games, electronic instant bingo and electronic amusement games. In addition, the model compact authorizes non-house-banked card games, such as poker and certain types of blackjack where players compete against each other and the house takes a share. There is no limit on how many gaming machines the tribes may operate, but in exchange for the expansion the tribes will share a percentage of the revenue with the state.

In August 2008, the Metlakatla Indian Community of Alaska made an effort to attach a five-line amendment to its gaming ordinance. This change would have legitimized one-touch machines as Class II machines. However, the reclassification would have changed the standards for gaming machines for all tribes, not just for those in Alaska. The state of Oklahoma challenged the appeal because of the effects the reclassification would have had on its gaming industry. If the appeal had been successful, thousands of machines played in Oklahoma would have become illegal without a compact. In August 2008, the Metlakatla tribe withdrew its appeal. The National Indian Gaming Commission took no further action on the matter, stopping any potential precedent it might have set.

In April 2018, HB3375 was signed into law by Governor Fallin. The bill legalized craps, roulette and pooled sports betting at Indian casinos.

In July 2020, a federal district court ruled that the Oklahoma Native American tribes' state gaming compacts automatically renewed for a second 15-year term at the start of 2020.

In April 2020, new compacts with the state and the Comanche Nation and Otoe-Missouria tribes that would have allowed the tribes to offer roulette, craps and sports betting was struck down by the Supreme Court, stating that Gov. Kevin Stitt exceeded his authority in negotiating for the state to drive revenue from forms of gaming that were not yet permitted under state law.