Oklahoma Senate Runs Out of Time on Sports Betting Bills

Legal sports betting won’t be coming to the Sooner State in 2025 after all.

The Oklahoma Senate could not get a floor vote conducted on two sports betting bills before the 2025 legislative session ended on May 8. HB 1047 would have legalized a tribal-run sports betting market, while HB 1101 would have put the issue on the 2026 ballot. 

While the bills came painfully close to passing both chambers, all is not lost for proponents. The bills showed that support for sports betting remains strong, and Senators are likely to study both during the summer. 

While a summer review of the bill could help the Senate, Governor Kevin Stitt remains a key hurdle. The state’s top lawmaker has supported sports betting but vehemently opposes a tribal-run market. HB 1047 proposed a tribal-run market, prompting Stitt to use his veto power if it passed the Senate.

Stitt’s opposition led to the introduction of HB 1101 alongside HB 1047. The bill would allow voters to decide on the issue, circumventing the governor and his veto. Given the lack of support for a market operated by commercial entities, getting sports betting on the 2026 ballot seems the only route to legalization.

Will Midterm Elections Change the Debate?

While opponents of the sports betting bill seem to have won in 2025, things will look different next year. Midterm elections will take place in November 2026, with several key lawmakers up for re-election. With public support for sports betting growing, fewer may be willing to stand in the way.

This pressure will be ramped up if another attempt is made to put sports betting on the ballot. Opposing the industry is one thing, but denying residents the right to vote on it could have dire consequences for re-election campaigns. 

That pressure could also lead to new talks about the sports betting market with control shared by the tribes and commercial businesses. This is the governor’s preference, and may by the only way to get his support in 2026.