State, tribal leaders discuss sports betting, inter-governmental relations

CATOOSA — The head of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association said Thursday that tribes shouldn’t rush into a “bad deal” with the state when it comes to sports betting.

His remarks came after a panel on the future of sports betting in Oklahoma at a meeting of the United Indian Nations of Oklahoma in Catoosa.

Balancing tribal priorities and relationships with state leaders was another major topic of conversation for tribal leaders.

With 31 of Oklahoma’s tribal nations represented at the meeting, speakers at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa included Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. of the Cherokee Nation, Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe, and Margo Gray, executive director of UINO.

When discussions turned to sports betting and tribal compacts with the state, Gov. Kevin Stitt was repeatedly mentioned. Stitt recently said he would veto any sports betting legislation sent to his desk that gave tribes exclusivity and has previously had conflicts with Oklahoma’s tribes.

Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, said these comments want to bring gaming in Oklahoma back to 2004, when the state offered a gaming compact to the tribes with exclusivity rights for class three gaming, which includes sports betting. Going back is not realistic, Morgan said.

“I don’t think the odds are in our favor of seeing something move even through both chambers to (Stitt),” Morgan said. “Now, there’s always a chance and we have always advised our members that we need to be ready if there is a chance to move forward because they’ll probably move quickly. But you know, we, as tribal governments, members of OIGA, we’re not in a rush to have a deal on this, especially if it’s a bad deal. So if the right situation presented itself, I think you would see tribes get on board and really engage in the conversation, but we’re not gonna make a bad deal.”

Chief Billy Friend of the Wyandotte Nation said there are three sports betting bills still “alive” at the state Capitol, two of which are more likely to receive the support of tribal nations. He said a few of Oklahoma’s neighboring states have recently legalized sports betting, including Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.

“We’re very unique in the fact that we have 38 tribes in the state,” he said. “And it’s much different than a lot of other states that currently have sports betting with tribes, where they don’t have as many tribes to get together (in agreement).”

Friend said he does not think the tribal nations have enough votes at the state Legislature to overturn a veto from Stitt this session.

He referred to a bill in the Oklahoma House from Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, and two bills in the Oklahoma Senate, one from Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, and one from Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City. Coleman’s bill would allow the Oklahoma City Thunder to receive a gaming license for sports betting.

None of these bills have been advanced from their chamber of origin yet.

Drummond, who recently launched his campaign for governor, said he is committed to prioritizing compacts with each tribal nation if he were elected, because “one size does not fit all” when it comes to Oklahoma’s tribes.

“We have, currently, a governor who believes it’s a zero sum game. ‘If you win, we lose. If we win, you lose.’ But we know that’s not the way,” he said. “The way to go forward is you win and the state does. When the tribes are successful, culturally, we are enriched, culturally.  When the tribes are successful economically, the entire state benefits economically. It is not lost on me when I travel throughout the state to see the remarkable advancements that each of you have had.”

Drummond said he wants the state of Oklahoma to be a “partner” to the tribal nations. He said he sees the value of compacts with tribes and “deeply regrets that we have a governor that does not recognize the necessity for the value of compact.”

For his “path forward,” Drummond said he recognizes the differences in each tribal nation and its people and will work with each tribe to find compacts that work for them, which could come in the form of omnibus compacts.

Stitt and Drummond have previously had disagreements over tribal issues, dual office holdings, a mental health consent decree, the state superintendent and the creation of a publicly funded Catholic charter school.

Nichols, Tulsa’s first black mayor, also spoke about his differences with Oklahoma’s governor when it comes to relations with native communities. He said he recently had a “spirited conversation” with Stitt about the “issues facing Indian country.”

“I don’t have to talk to natives about uncertainty, broken promises,” he said. “But I have to say, I’m inspired, because even after the broken promises, time after time after time, today is an example of what we see all the time. And that is that native communities continue to rise.”

Oklahoma Voice (oklahomavoice.com) is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations. Oklahoma Voice provides nonpartisan reporting, and retains full editorial independence.