Oklahoma Legislature Moves Toward Sweepstakes Casino Ban

Yet another state has its sights set on a sweepstakes casino ban. This time, it’s Oklahoma, which has advanced legislation to the full state House, after unanimously passing it through the state Senate.

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma House’s Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight committee gave Senate Bill 1589 a Do Pass recommendation, sending it forward to the full House for a vote. With a month left before the legislature adjourns, the bill seems poised to pass there as well.

If passed, the legislation would make sweepstakes casinos in Oklahoma illegal as of November 1, 2026. It’s becoming more common to seek a sweepstakes casino ban; five states have already passed one in 2026. Five others banned sweeps casinos in 2025, bringing the number of legal states for it down to 33.

If the ban becomes law, almost all gambling in the state would revert to only offering in-person betting at tribal casinos. Oklahoma has well over 100 gambling facilities in the state, but only one offers mobile betting.

Why Is Oklahoma Considering a Sweepstakes Casino Ban?

Like most other states, Oklahoma has realized that allowing sweepstakes casinos to operate provides no revenue to the state. Because of their dual nature, sweepstakes casinos have argued that they’re not a form of gambling, which has previously allowed them to skirt laws and avoid sending profits to their jurisdictions.

In Oklahoma, that’s highly important because of how much of the state is tribal land. Around 45% of Oklahoma is owned by Native American tribes, and the state’s tribes contribute billions of dollars to Oklahoma’s economy.

According to a 2023 study, tribes contributed just short of $2 billion per year over a four-year period to Oklahoma. Oklahoma’s brick-and-mortar casinos on tribal land also allow bettors to be as young as 18, which attracts college students from neighboring states.

That was one of the main reasons Sen. Todd Gollihare (R-Kellyville) chose to sponsor SB 1589. According to Gollihare, millions of dollars in potential revenue are lost to sweepstakes casinos, which can currently be accessed anywhere in the state.

How Likely Is the Sweepstakes Casino Ban to Pass?

If the legislature is any indication, the ban is likely to pass. The Oklahoma Senate unanimously voted to pass the ban through to the House, and the House’s recommendation to pass the bill will likely carry weight.

A wild card in this process is Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has a frosty relationship with the state’s tribes. Stitt has tried to bring non-tribal betting to Oklahoma in years past, and it’s possible that he vetoes the bill because of the dispute between him and tribal leaders.

Stitt also has an odd relationship with his own party. The Oklahoma Republican Party holds a supermajority in the legislature, and has shown no hesitation overriding Stitt. Last year, Oklahoma passed 47 vetoed bills into law, setting a new state record.

What Forms of Online Betting Are Legal in Oklahoma?

Currently, none. Stitt has wanted to make sports betting in Oklahoma legal for several years, but his lack of political relationships has stalled those efforts.

Stitt is term-limited in 2026. He has said that the tribes are willing to wait him out to make sports betting legal in Oklahoma. The major sticking point is that the tribes want to maintain exclusive control of gaming in Oklahoma. Stitt, on the other hand, has chosen to try to go around the tribes and expand legal betting without them.

That approach has not sat well with many members of Stitt’s own party. It’s highly likely that Oklahoma goes for the sweepstakes casino ban in 2026, then tries to bring sports betting to the state through its new governor in 2027.

When Would a Sweepstakes Casino Ban Take Place?

If the law passes, sweepstakes casinos in Oklahoma would be banned as of Nov. 1, 2026. The legislature must first get the passed bill to Stitt’s desk, which will happen in April. If Stitt vetoes it, the legislature would have until the end of May to override him.