Commercial Casinos Would Come to Oklahoma ‘Tomorrow’ if Tribes Don’t Play Ball: Stitt
Posted on: December 10, 2019, 02:53h.
Last updated on: December 11, 2019, 01:39h.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt says he would be prepared to open the state’s gaming market to private commercial casino companies — and he believes they would jump at the chance.

In an interview with The Norman Transcript, the governor claimed he had spoken to several companies who said they would sign deals “tomorrow” to build casinos in Oklahoma. And they would be prepared to pay an 18 percent tax on their gross gaming revenues.
This is the latest gambit in the governor’s attempt to renegotiate the compacts of the state’s 38 tribal gaming operators, which are due to expire on January 1, 2020.
Stitt believes the revenue-share payments the tribes make in return for gaming exclusivity, as set out in their compacts, is not enough.
Is Stitt Bluffing?
After California, Oklahoma is home to America’s second-biggest tribal casino market, with revenues of $4.5 billion, according to the American Gaming Association.
The tribes pay to the state four to six percent of their revenues from slots and 10 percent from table games like craps and roulette. On class II gaming, which includes electronic bingo and poker, they pay nothing.
Collectively, Oklahoma’s 130-odd casinos and gaming halls contributed $138.6 million to state coffers last year on class III revenues of $2.3 billion.
Stitt wants to start negotiations at 25 percent and take it from there. But the tribes aren’t prepared to take it anywhere. They believe the language of the model compact they all signed in 2004 states the agreement is supposed to roll over into a second term on expiration.
The tribes say they are open to negotiation on the compacts, but it must be a quid pro quo deal. Currently, they claim, they can’t see the state is offering them anything other than a massive tax hike.
If Stitt’s talk of commercial gaming is a bluff, it’s a risky one. The standoff is likely headed for the courts where the tribes could argue he is threatening, in bad faith, to violate a legal agreement in order to gain leverage over 38 signatories to the same legal agreement.
But Stitt believes the agreement ends in three weeks time, after which the tribes will be offering class III gaming illegally, he claims.
‘Intolerable Risk’
Last week, Bill Anoatubby, governor of Oklahoma’s largest tribal operator, the Chickasaw Nation, wrote to the US Interior Department to insist that its compact will roll over on January 1.
“(Any) attempt to disrupt our Tribal government gaming operations would present an intolerable risk of injury to the Chickasaw Nation and its citizens,” he wrote in the letter.
We reserve our right to take legal action, if necessary, to protect the Chickasaw Nation’s legal and sovereign rights, as well as the material interests of our citizens who rely on government programs and services supported by our gaming operation revenues,” Anoatubby added.
A spokeswoman for the Governor’s Office, Donelle Harder, told US News the Stitt administration had also written to the DOI for guidance on the matter, but was not planning on taking legal action.
“[Stitt] truly believes and hopes there is opportunity to negotiate before the January 1 deadline,” she said.
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John, How does increasing taxes fix corruption?
I know who will not get my vote next time. Cherokee nation also put's in roads , Bridges , and also help's schools. What stitt is trying to do sound's fishy. He wants 25 percent from the Indian tribes, But only 18 percent from outside org. to put in a casino .
Governor Stitt has much more important matters to attend to then trying to negotiate the tribal gaming compact. The current compact has worked for both the tribes and the state very well, and there is no need to make such threats to the tribes. In addition, the language in the gaming act specifically states that there can be no gaming outside of the compact without a vote of the people and a constitutional amendment. Therefore, the Governor is bluffing in that regard and needs to tone down that kind of rhetoric.
Expose the corrupt Indian casino's monopoly, they especially Winstar in particular is as corrupt and money grabbing as they come. They should be taxed comparable to every other casino in the U.S. It is comical to protect this monoply that has ruined people's lives and built the biggest casino in the world. Every Indian should have their own house at this point and poor poor me is laughable.
Its kinda like an indian can put in a Cannabis shop in because he's part indian and i'm not. Why do we have different law's for today's citizens black, white or whatever. Getting someone to bet against the odds is theft and taking advantage of their Stupidity. Thats the reason it was against the law until the oklahoma gov changed it because they were getting a small piece of the action.
Made big mistake voting for stitts. Won't make that mistake again. Time our government be responsible for spending.