Verah | December 30, 2019 | Updated on: April 26th, 2021
Casinos in Oklahoma are aplenty and those looking for places to gamble are spoiled for choice. There are 60 casinos in Oklahoma which are operated by the Native American tribes living in the state. There are some casinos in the state that aren’t operated and owned by US Native tribes. Major corporations like Harrah’s and Caesars back some tribal casinos in OK.
The gambling industry in the Land of the Red Man is large enough to fill the vacuum that’s in the state of Texas since casinos are illegal there. Therefore, dozens of the tribal casinos in Oklahoma are dotted along the Oklahoma-Texas state line. Oklahoma’s gambling industry contributes quite a lot to the Sooner State’s economy, bringing in an estimated US$3.4 billion a year.
For Oklahomans that are fans of gambling online, casino sites are freely available in Oklahoma. However, the state itself may not have casinos licensed in their jurisdiction, playing at off-shore sites is permissible in the state.
So, let’s take a look at casinos in Oklahoma, its gambling laws, and what the state thinks about online casino sites.
Best Casino Sites for Oklahomans
Casinos in Oklahoma Page Links
Gambling in Oklahoma
Laws around gambling in America vary from state to state. While some states may not have any, others are stringent about gambling, and others may allow it on sovereign tribal land. Casinos in Oklahoma have established laws around gambling.
- OK casinos pay a 10% tax on table games, 4% on slots that make under $10 million a year, 5% on slots making $10 million, and 6% on anything above that.
- Betting on horses in the state is regulated by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission (OHRC). OK accepts bets on live races, advance deposit betting, off-track betting, and pari-mutuel pools.
- Oklahoma has its own state lottery that sells instant game tickets and lotto tickets. However, they don’t sell tickets on the internet.
- To be eligible for gambling in OK, you have to be 18 years and older.
How Oklahoma Defines Gambling
Oklahoma’s Gambling Act defines gambling as “betting or bargaining that, dependent upon chance, one stands to lose or win something of value specified in an agreement between parties”.
Legal Types of Gambling in Oklahoma
There are a number of types of gambling that are legal in Oklahoma. These include:
- Blackjack
- Charity bingo and raffles
- Craps
- Horse racing
- Poker
- Slots
- Sports betting
- State lottery and scratch-offs
Illegal Types of Gambling in Oklahoma
The only type of gambling that’s illegal in Oklahoma is dog racing.
Online Casinos in Oklahoma
While creating an online casino that’s established in OK is illegal, there are some types of online gambling that are legal in the state. Placing off-track horse racing bets online is completely legal in the state, Oklahomans can place horse racing bets on TwinSpires, a subsidiary of Churchill Downs. It has a monopoly on off-track betting in the state.
Furthermore, there’s daily fantasy sports betting (DFS) which takes place online. Sites like CBS Sports, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo! are allowed to operate in OK. However, there are some who are challenging the validity of DFS in the state.
Those looking for online gambling games to play for free or for real money, there are off-shore casino sites that accept US players. You can bet on classic casino games and sports at these sites.
Casinos in Oklahoma
There are 60 brick-and-mortar casinos in Oklahoma and all of them are on Native tribal land. Under Oklahoma’s gambling laws, they can offer both Class I and Class II games. Moreover, there are some that offer Class III slots.
It’s important to note that gaming machines in these casinos, regardless of class, aren’t allowed to accept or payout in coins. They all use either debit cards or printed receipts.
Want to play at the largest OK casino? Head on over to WinStar World Casino. The other two casinos that make up the top three casinos in Oklahoma are Riverwind Casino and Choctaw Casino Resort.
| Casino | Games | Other Features | Contacts |
WinStar World Casino  |
8,500 electronic games, 55 poker tables, 100 table games, off-track betting | Golf course, spa, resort pool and cabanas, boutiques, restaurants, live music, entertainment | 777 Casino Drive, Thackerville, OK
Local number: 1-800-622-6317 |
| Choctaw Casino Resort
|
4,300 slot machines, 26 poker tables, 8 table games, off-track betting | Spa, pools, boutiques, arcade, cinema, restaurants, live music, entertainment | 4216 S. Hwy 69/75 Durant, OK
Local number: 1-888-652-4628 |
Riverwind Casino  |
2,700 slots, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, bingo, off-track betting | Hotel, Showplace Theatre, River Lounge, Beats & Bites Stage, gift shop, restaurants | 1544 S. Hwy 9 Norman, OK
Local number: 1-405-322-6000 |
History of Casinos in Oklahoma
The state first set up horse racing as a legal gambling enterprise in 1982. Along with it came both live betting and off-track betting. Then, in 1992, charity bingo and raffles were approved by the state. The creation of a state lottery was approved in 2003 by Oklahoma’s legislature. Following a referendum, the first lotto ticket was sold in 2005. Along with the approval of a state lottery, citizens of the state also voted to approve the creation and operation of casinos in the OK by its Native nations.
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