Oklahoma is home to a big gambling industry. The Sooner State has the most casinos out of any other state in the country and the largest casino in the nation – Winstar World Casino. The number of slot machines in the state alone is pretty staggering. The Choctaw Casino is home to over 4,100 machines. Although craps and roulette remain illegal for the foreseeable future, you’ll have no problem finding all that you need in Oklahoma from poker, blackjack, track betting, high stakes bingo and more as the discussion about legalizing sports betting in the state remains at the forefront going into 2020.
Oklahoma Legal Gambling History
Up until the 1980s, Oklahoma was one of the strictest anti-gambling states in the union.
Track betting was the first form of legal gambling to enter in. In 1982 Oklahoma legalized pari-mutuel betting at the state’s 3 racecourses. Later law allowed these racetracks to offer class II slots.
Things were quiet in Oklahoma for a decade, when in 1992 the state legalized charitable gaming. This welcomed in bingo and raffles on native land and for charity purposes. At this time the tribes in Oklahoma were demanding compacts to be able to offer class II gaming machines. After a legal back and forth, the tribes ultimately won and were then able to further their casino gaming options in 2000. In 2002 tribal casinos began offering class III type games.
Oklahoma Gambling Legal Status
Oklahoma is home to over 100 casinos, some smaller scale, 60 of which are tribal – offering a variety of slots, poker, and blackjack (craps and roulette excluded). Many of these casinos are found near state borders. This is mostly true on the Oklahoma / Texas state line where tribal casinos can profit from the lack of opportunity found in Texas.
Oklahoma is also home to 17 poker rooms statewide.
Online gambling is illegal and so is sports betting
Oklahoma has track betting, pari-mutuel, off-track betting, and online track betting. The state is currently home to 3 racecourses: Remington Park, Will Rogers Downs, and Fair Meadows. The state racecourses which also offer electronic gaming machines.
Charitable gaming is legal in Oklahoma including bingo and raffles. High stake games can be found at bingo halls on tribal lands.
Daily fantasy sports operate in the state without dispute. Sports betting is illegal but the discussion around legalization is currently at the top of the list.
The legal age to gamble in Oklahoma is 18 years old, although this may differ from casino to casino where players may need to be at least 21 to comply with state alcohol laws.
Oklahoma Land-Based Casinos
Oklahoma is home to the most casinos out of any state in the nation. In Oklahoma, you’ll find 60 tribal casinos, race track casinos, and several smaller-scale operations. These gaming institutions provide slots, poker, blackjack, and electronic gaming machines. The only restrictions you’ll find are on craps and roulette which remain illegal.
If it’s slots you’re looking for you won’t want to miss Choctaw Casino in Durant, which houses a whopping 4,100 slot machines.
The largest and most notable casino in the Sooner State is Winstar World Casino which brings players over 500,000 square feet of gaming. Winstar is not only the largest casino in the state but in the whole country.
Other notable casinos are Riverwind Casino in Norman and River Spirits Casino in Tulsa which has 2,400 slot machines and 300,000 square feet of gaming.
Oklahoma Legal Daily Fantasy Sports and Sports Betting
While daily fantasy sports exist in Oklahoma, their legality is not clearly defined one way or another. Operators of daily fantasy sports claim that their product/service is not gambling and state lawmakers haven’t done anything to argue against it.
Players in Oklahoma have access to the full range of offerings from FanDuel and DraftKings.
Legalizing sports betting in Oklahoma has been a hot topic for discussion in 2019, where 5 sessions have been dedicated to the matter. The Governor is meeting with the state’s tribal casino owners and industry insiders to discuss the possibilities.
Oklahoma Legal Gambling FAQ’s
What types of gambling are legal in Oklahoma?
The following is legal to gamble on in Oklahoma:
- Casino gambling including slots, poker, and blackjack.
- Social gambling and poker rooms
- State lottery
- Charitable gaming including high stakes bingo.
- Track betting, off-track betting, and online track betting
