Oklahoma Senate passes online sports betting bill
The Oklahoma Senate has passed a bill to legalize mobile sports betting in the state, which has been referred for engrossment before moving to the House.
The measure passed with 25 votes for and 15 votes against, while seven voters abstained.
SB 585, introduced by Sen. Bill Coleman, will allow licensed Native American tribes to accept in-person bets and mobile bets on tribal land. Meanwhile, one designated professional sports team will be permitted to sign an agreement with a tribal approved operator for online sports betting on non-tribal land.
The text of SB 585 is very specific, only allowing a professional team in the state participating in the NBA to receive a license, paving the way for the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team to partner with a sportsbook operator.
A bill needs 25 votes to pass the Senate in Oklahoma, so SB 585 passed by the slimmest of margins. It was also the second vote on the bill on 25 March, with the bill previously failing to pass after only receiving 24 votes for compared to 22 against (including those that abstained).
The inclusion of the Oklahoma City Thunder receiving a license should increase the chances of the bill progressing into law, as Governor Kevin Stitt said in February that he would veto a bill “exclusively giving a monopoly to the tribes.”
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