Oklahoma Supreme Court rejects tribal gaming compacts
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has voted to reject two tribal gaming compacts signed by Governor Kevin Stitt, ruling that both agreements are invalid under state law.
Stitt signed gaming compacts with the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and the Comanche Nation in April, allowing the two tribes to offer Class III games, including sports betting, poker, roulette, slots and blackjack.
However, the compacts faced heavy criticism from the state legislature and other tribal operators, with Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter having issued a formal opinion arguing Stitt did not have the power to broker the deals.
The Supreme Court has now voted 7-1 to reject the compacts, ruling the deals cannot be deemed legal as they include games that have not yet been approved in the state and therefore generating revenue from the games is prohibited.