Oklahoma Lawmakers Nix Tribal Casino Deals

Article by : Erik Gibbs Oct 30, 2023

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This week, a legislative committee in Oklahoma rejected a gaming compact that had been negotiated by Governor Kevin Stitt with two tribes in the state. This development marks another setback in the governor’s ongoing efforts to modify the state’s approach to tribal gaming.

During a hearing held on Wednesday, members of Oklahoma’s Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations voiced concerns that the renegotiated gaming compacts might pave the way for casino expansion in Oklahoma County. As a result, they voted against approving the compact agreements.

A representative for the governor, Trevor Pemberton, argued that the compacts would have a positive economic impact on the state by increasing the revenue generated from casino gaming compared to the previous compact, as reported by the press.

Governor Stitt had negotiated these compacts with the United Keetoowah Band and the Kialegee Tribal Town in 2020 as part of a larger and controversial renegotiation.

These compacts would have allowed the tribes to offer sports betting, which is otherwise prohibited in Oklahoma, and would have permitted new tribes to establish casinos within the state.

The committee’s decision was met with disappointment from the tribes, who had hoped that the establishment of new casinos would bring economic benefits to their communities.

United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Chief Joe Bunch expressed his disappointment after the meeting. Chief Bunch emphasized the impact of the defeat, particularly the missed opportunity to discuss the issues, as reported by the local news site NonDoc.

Governor Stitt defended the compacts, portraying them as an initiative to allow smaller tribes to operate casinos, a privilege currently limited to the state’s largest tribes.

Stitt expressed his confusion regarding the distinction between tribes eligible to operate casinos and those who are not, highlighting that all these tribes have federal recognition, leaving many Oklahomans puzzled about the disparity in gaming privileges.

The two compacts rejected on Wednesday were part of the four agreements negotiated by Governor Stitt in 2020. The Oklahoma Supreme Court had previously rejected them, and related legal battles are ongoing in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has strongly criticized the governor’s approach to the tribal gaming matter and is seeking to assume the state’s representation in the ongoing lawsuits.

Drummond has accused the governor of misusing taxpayer funds and misrepresenting the state in the case. While the governor opposes Drummond’s involvement, both sides continue to dispute the matter in court filings.

The case was initiated by the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Citizen Potawatomi and Choctaw nations against the Interior Department, which oversees tribal gaming at the federal level, along with other defendants.

During Wednesday’s hearing, State Sen. Kay Floyd pointed to the ongoing legal proceedings as a reason to delay the approval of the compacts.