• Is Online Gambling Legal In Oklahoma
• Is Online Sports Gambling Legal In Oklahoma

There is a fine line between legal and illegal when it comes to online gambling in Oklahoma. Currently, domestic online pari-mutuel bets are accepted on-site at terminals, and Daily Fantasy sports games are permitted. However, OK does not offer any domestic state-licensed online gambling services for poker, casino games, bingo, or sports betting.

This page provides a breakdown of how licensed offshore gambling sites fit into Oklahoma’s online gambling laws, as well as, information on Federal laws in play, and reliable resources for legal online gaming.

Other Oklahoma Gambling Pages

Oklahoma’s Gambling Legislation

Oklahoma’s current legislation has provisions for brick-and-mortar gambling through tribal-run outfits. The tribal-state compacts dictate the types of gambling available in each venue and how revenue is paid back to the state. Residents can walk into a land-based tribal-run casino destination and find slots, table games, and poker due to Class III game licensing permission. However, sports betting has not yet been legalized at the state level or authorized to be offered by tribal casinos.

Oklahoma's legal online gambling scene is mainly supported by licensed offshore sites since the state hasn't moved on regulating online gaming domestically. This doesn't mean there aren't domestic gaming options though, OK is home to the largest tribal gaming industry in the nation with more than 110 land-based tribal-run casinos.

You’ve likely come across other pages like ours that proclaim things like “online gambling is completely legal in Oklahoma.” Those pages aren’t necessarily telling the absolute truth on the matter. The fact is that gambling law in every US state – Oklahoma included – is a complicated thing that requires professional guidance. Online gambling is legal in Oklahoma as there are no laws in the state to suggest otherwise. The Oklahoma State Statutes do not once mention the Internet, and there is not a single section that outlines online gambling. The laws only pertain to the land-based gambling options that are regulated by the state.

Federal Gambling Laws

Only 2 USA federal gambling laws exist which apply to online gambling. These are known as the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful internet gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The Wire Act currently bans interstate betting on sports through domestically based online sportsbooks. The UIGEA is a federal banking regulation dealing with banking institutions who process financial transactions between users and gambling sites. However, neither law prohibits licensed offshore gambling operators.

The Rise And Fall Of PASPA

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) banned state-regulated sports betting in 46 states (including Oklahoma) for over 25 years since its inception in 1992. The law was repealed by the Supreme Court in May of 2018. This did not legalize nationwide sports betting, but it gave states the opportunity to vote in legislation introducing new domestic betting options.

Has Oklahoma Passed Any Sports Betting Legislation?

There were two bills that surfaced during the 2018 legislative session. These were H3375 and S1175. The bills aimed to legalize sports gambling as part of a new tribal gambling package. There was language in the bills regarding “sports pools,” but this was removed via an amendment. The two bills were never officially signed into law. However, they may be reintroduced in the 2019 legislative session. In the meantime, state bettors can use licensed offshore online OK sportsbooks.

What About Online Casino And Poker Legislation?

Oklahoma’s Iowa tribe launched an online poker site in 2013, much to the chagrin of the local government. After a legal battle that ran all the way to 2016, it was determined that the tribe could offer legal free play online poker to USA players and real money games to international players. The site’s rights were sold to Monster Products Worldwide.

Oklahoma has had the option of legalizing domestic online casino and poker platforms since 2011 when the DOJ reinterpreted the Federal Wire Act. But the state has yet to move on this opportunity, therefore, players can use licensed offshore online OK casinos and OK poker rooms in the meantime.

Navigating Tribal Compacts

Oklahoma is a state with preexisting state-tribal compacts. This means any new gambling legislation must include provisions for the tribes, otherwise, they will lobby against the legislation and make it a nightmare to pass. Tribal gambling establishments want a piece of any online action whether it be casino games, poker, or sports betting. If a resolution can be reached that appeases both parties, the legislation will pass.

What About Mobile Offshore Gambling?

In today’s day and age, licensed offshore online providers like online OK bingo sites have made their desktop sites responsive to mobile devices using HTML5. This technology allows the seamless and perfect translation of a desktop site onto any mobile screen size, no matter the device or operating system. No functions are lost and nearly every game is available to play on a mobile phone or tablet.

Official Oklahoma Gambling Laws & Statutes

Anyone who is interested in reviewing Oklahoma gambling laws and statutes in their entirety, you can visit the State of Oklahoma Government Website where you will find the official documents in their original context.

**This page is intended for informational purposes only and is not designed to serve as or replace any type of professional legal services, advice or interpretation of a law or statute. If you are seeking professional legal services, then we recommend you contact an attorney.

If there is a state in the US that can successfully be representative of the betting expansion movement that took off in the last decade or so, this case study is sure to be based on the Oklahoma casinos. There were also some very interesting developments on the stage of online gambling in Oklahoma, as well. The idea of inaugurating the first Oklahoma online casinos has been very close to becoming a reality, and although it was put on pause for a while, it still remains an option just waiting to happen. The situation is similar to other USA gambling states.

Best Online Casino Sites for Oklahoma

Contents

Oklahoma Gambling Laws

The main oddity of Oklahoma gambling laws consists of their tardiness, being one of the last states to regulate any form of wagering. It was only in 1982 that betting on horse races became legit. Ten years later, bingo and raffles became a hit statewide, but still long after the majority of states allowed it.

Despite the slow start, gambling in Oklahoma became a widespread phenomenon after the 2004 bill. Hence, the number of compacts signed between authorities and Native Americans, for the inauguration of Oklahoma casinos, grew alarmingly fast, to a high point of around 100 such establishments.

The same delay typical for this state’s wagering legislation happened for the instatement of the lottery, which was put in place only in 2004. But nowadays, the focus clearly remains on the numerous gambling casinos in Oklahoma.
The spread of these venues across the state is covering all places, is hard to not find one nearby. This is one of the main reasons that online betting hasn’t become quite popular. The widespread also helps to cover all the business opportunities, including customers from neighbouring states. The casinos in eastern Oklahoma are very popular with Arkansas residents, while the southern ones are also oriented towards the Texan high-rollers. For example, the Choctaw casino slot machines are available in five different locations, trying to cover all bases.

Another peculiarity refers to the legal gambling age in Oklahoma. The official minimum age is situated between 18 and 21 years old, giving each casino the possibility of choice. Some opt for the low limit of 18, this being the Winstar Casino or the Choctaw casino gambling age. Others have a different approach. For example, the Downstream Casino gambling age is of 18 for playing the games, but of over 21 for serving alcoholic drinks.

Oklahoma Online Gambling

The possibility to play in state-regulated online venues is one of the lacks of Oklahoma gambling scene. Of course that the first point to take into account is the convenience for the appearance of more competitors, given the already high number of casinos in Oklahoma. On that matter, 2016 found one of the tribe’s initiatives to launch an online poker site, is supported by the state lawmakers. This online poker site was destined only for off-shore players, though, trying to get extra income from outside the state. The initiative didn’t go through after all, but it’s still in the waiting, and it’s definitely an interesting alternative as far as online options go.
On the other hand, even though Oklahoma online casinos aren’t prospects in the near future, residents can still play online at the off-shore based establishments as Bovada which is legal in Oklahoma. When browsing to the list of online venues that accept US players, perhaps take into account the following aspects:

Is Online Gambling Legal In Oklahoma

• The licenses should belong to jurisdictions which allow this sort of activities
• The security measures should be functional and only the updated versions
• They should offer access to the latest online games, with a wide variety, the way RealTime Gaming casinos offers, for example
• The accepted means for depositing and withdrawing money should adhere to the highest security requirements, and even though these actions need more time, safety should always come first
• These online sites have to be found on the list of reviewed venues, by users who see that all of the above are respected

• Top 1 USA online casino
• Fast payouts

Offline Gambling in Oklahoma

Is Online Sports Gambling Legal In Oklahoma

Land-based Casinos

Besides the impressive number of casinos Oklahoma has to offer, there are other aspects to consider as well. For one, up until 2018 dice and roulette were not allowed anywhere in the state, not even in the numerous tribal establishments. They only had to offer Oklahoma slots and table with card games. Nowadays, Choctaw Casino roulette is available, or Tonkawa Hotel and Casino craps can be played.
Between the almost one hundred establishments available in OK state, there were bound to be some spectacular ones. For instance, Winstar World Casino and Resort is the largest or second largest casino in the world, going neck to neck with the Venetian from Macao. Choctaw Casino near Oklahoma City is the second largest of the state, while the Chickasaw tribe has no less than 21 casinos in its property.

Charitable

The history of gambling in OK really started once the charitable wagering has been legally put in place. Most current resorts have started as bingo halls or raffle locations, before becoming the actual facilities. Some bingo focused places still exist, but they can’t really compete with the giant businesses.

Lottery

In 2004, after a whole bunch of locations has appeared statewide, it might have seemed that the appetite for gambling Oklahoma was diminished. However, after a massive vote on behalf of the population in favor, the state lottery has been created. Now, the multi-state versions are also available across the state.

Future Expectations

It’s hard to find more permissive legislation than the Oklahoma gambling laws. Even though it had a slow start, the gambling market witnessed a never seen before expansion. At the moment, with almost 100 locations, a plan for further development has been recently dismissed.

On the other hand, Oklahoma online gambling remains an option just waiting to get started, with the tribal initiative of creating an online poker site being put to safe-keeping for the moment, although not completely brushed aside.

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Is gambling legal in Oklahoma?

Yes. Gambling in Oklahoma is not only legal but is a few steps short of actually being encouraged. The number of active locations statewide is astounding. Possibly the largest venue of sorts is found here, the Winstar Casino, at the southern border with Texas. Also, Choctaw Casino Oklahoma City, the second largest establishment of the state, is also an impressive resort. Other forms of betting are also allowed: lottery, bingo or raffles.

What is the actual legal gambling age in Oklahoma?

There seems to be some vagueness about the Oklahoma gambling age, seeing how there isn’t a clear limit set for every casino, but rather each of the venues from the list of Oklahoma casinos has the right to set its own minimum limit. Mostly, it depends on whether or not they serve alcohol or not. Even so, 18 is the gambling age at Winstar Casino in Oklahoma, the same as the Choctaw gambling age, these being the two largest venues in OK state.

Is online gambling in OK allowed?

On this matter, the Oklahoma casino laws offer two options:

• The social casinos which offer demos of their table games, free of charge, in a smart marketing move, thus getting players accustomed with their games. For example, as long as the Winstar Casino gambling age requirement is met, the largest state casino offers an online platform for anyone willing to play.
• The off-shore based sites compensate for the lack of options for online gambling Oklahoma. Simply take great care at the sites to access, the safest way of choosing is to follow the list of approved and recommended sites that we offer.

Do I risk not getting my money out of these off-shore online venues?

The fact that the online counterparts equal the offer of the best casinos in Oklahoma to win real money poses some questions of whether it isn’t too good to be true. Truth is there are scammers out there and not having Oklahoma gambling casinos regulated online is another minus. But, for residents of Oklahoma, online gambling market offers lists of thoroughly verified sites, which comply with the latest safety and security requirements.

Additional Sources:

https://www.ok.gov/OGC/Frequently_Asked_Questions/
https://www.kxii.com/content/news/Oklahoma-senate-passes-bill-to-expand-gambling-laws-477133933.html