• Oklahoma Gambling Tax Laws On Losses
• Oklahoma Gambling Age

Oklahoma has fairly strict laws when it comes to gambling. It is illegal to bet on any unlicensed games. Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operates in a grey area. Some states have ruled that the activity constitutes a form of gambling, while other states view DFS as a skill-based game.

Although when most people think of the United States they imagine big cities lining the coast, the truth is that most of the country is closest to Oklahoma. Despite its location, the real reason this state is in the middle of what the rest of the country calls the “heartland” is that it’s where the lifeblood for the entire country comes from. Oklahoma is also susceptible to some of the country’s great emotions, which explains why so many residents have an interest in gambling that borders on a deep and thriving love. We encourage this interest but with a dose of knowlege about Oklahoma gambling laws.

However, despite the obvious interest that most prospective gamblers in Oklahoma show in the hobby, many do not participate. A lot of residents cite a belief that any gambling acts can land them in jail as the principle reason they do not gamble. Poor info and false assumptions about Oklahoma gambling laws like that are the reason OklahomaGamblingLaws exists. Our goal is to help guide Oklahoma residents through the cloudy legal landscape in their home state regarding gambling, and to help steer them in a proper direction that will allow them to enjoy a hobby gambling responsibly regularly, and as safely as possible with no fear of legal prosecution.

In accordance with federal law, all citizens of the US are within their rights to gamble. The only act that can be punished by federal law is taking part in the unsanctioned facilitation of gambling. Oklahoma law sticks to this model as a template, but this page will explore all the details regarding state legislation and gambling below just to ensure that any readers can leave this page as educated as possible.

1. Oklahoma gaming compacts are in effect until their expiration date of January 1, 2020. The compacts may also be terminated by mutual consent of the Tribe and the State of Oklahoma. What happens to profits from Indian gaming operations?
2. The Oklahoma code of laws doe snot list the Oklahoma Online Gambling laws, as there is no ban or support of online gambling in the state. Other Oklahoma Gambling Resources Oklahoma Online Gambling.
3. If the thought of taking part in any kind of gambling in the US interests you and you would like more information about Oklahoma Gambling Laws, the Internet can provide a wealth of content on the legality of gambling in the US. Oklahoma allows for residents to participate in some limited gambling acts.

Legality of Gambling in Oklahoma: Will I Get In Trouble?

The major difference between the stances on gambling in Oklahoma’s state legislature versus the federal stance is that Oklahoma indeed bothers to define and specify a punishment for “playing” in gambling games. Chapter 21-942 of the state constitution defines playing a gambling game as when one “bet or play at any games whatsoever, for money, property, checks, credits or other representatives of value with cards, dice or any other device which may be adapted to or used in playing any game of chance or in which chance is a material element.”

This is a comprehensive definition that rules out all traditional casino games as well as poker, however, further analysis of both the law and some background knowledge concerning how the law is enforced will reveal that all is not lost. One who is found guilty of “playing” in a gambling event will be guilty of a misdemeanor, and as such susceptible to a fine ranging from $25-$100 and a jail sentence of up to 30 days. If these penalties seem light, it’s because they are. This penalty for participating in gambling is a relic of old legislation, and the fact that the punishment is so minor is a good indicator of what a glance through Oklahoma’s legal history will already tell us. Never in the history of the state has any otherwise honest resident been put on trial for merely participating in gambling.

The spirit and the intent of these Oklahoma gambling laws has always been to attack organized crime and larger criminal syndicates, never to go after individuals who would merely like to place a bet or participate in a game of chance, therefore the state has never targeted individuals, only large illicit gambling operations.

However, this is not to say that anyone found guilty of a gambling offense in Oklahoma is safe from prosecution. If one is guilty of what the state would consider “conducting gambling” as outlined in chapter 21-941 of state legislation, they would be found guilty of a very serious felony. Not only is the punishment of a fine up to $2000 and ten years in prison much more severe, there is a much higher chance the act will be prosecuted. In fact, anyone found “conducting” gambling in the state of Oklahoma will surely be brought up on charges and charged with the felony.

The Difference Between “Playing” & “Conducting”

If an Oklahoma resident is concerned about conducting a gambling game rather than playing in one by accident, they should not worry about it. The acts are as distinctly different as the two punishments assigned to the crimes.

In order for anyone to gamble, two parties are usually required. Of course, a player is needed to place the bet on the future event or game of chance, but someone else is needed to take that bet and assume responsibility for paying out winnings or for operating the game in question. This second party will, under most circumstances be guilty of conducting gambling.

This should not be interpreted to mean that hosting a friendly poker game among friends or conducting a friendly office pool on the NCAA basketball tournament will instantly land someone in jail, for there is one more important component involved to “conducting” a gambling event. The game must be set up in such a way that the guilty party collects a profit through hosting the event. To be clear, this does not mean betting and wagering wisely so that the host comes out ahead, this means setting oneself up to turn a profit from a gambling event regardless as to whether they bet or wager at all.

Popular ways of doing this are through running a sportsbook which will take a cut of losing bets (these are usually reflected in the odds already and are referred to in the industry as “juice,” “vigorish,” or “vig”) charging admission for the privilege to play any game, operating a game as the “house” who, in traditional casino games always has the best chance to win, collecting “rake” (a small percentage of each pot given to the house as profit) from a poker game, or even simply charging for food or drink throughout the course of an event.

Just so long as Oklahoma players take caution to avoid these specific actions, as they relate to gambling in their home state, they can avoid the potential penalties outlined in Oklahoma gambling code, or any other unwanted attention.

Gambling Laws In Oklahoma

In a bizarre turn for a country normally so passionate about states’ rights, the federal government banned any sanctioned sports betting in 1992 in all but four states in the union. Unfortunately, Oklahoma was not one of the four. Therefore, no brick and mortar facilities in Oklahoma may offer sports betting to their clients. Since any syndicate that offers sports betting in a brick and mortar facility would have to be an illicit operation, seeking out land based sports betting in Oklahoma is not a wise option. Even if one ignores the risk to personal safety by associating with a criminal enterprise, it is definitely not a wise place for hard earned money.

This is why hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma residents have turned to legal online sportsbooks for everyday use and why more continue to sign up every day. A quick bet on the Sooners can easily be placed online with no legal or financial risk outside the nature of betting and wagering.

While the State technically does not sanction any form of gaming in the Oklahoma gambling laws, they have allowed several Native American tribes to allow gambling under federal exemption. As home to more reservations per capita than almost any other state in the country, there are several tribal casinos to choose from and Oklahoma residents can pick from a great many facilities when deciding to make a trip out to a casino for the weekend. These casinos offer all varieties of traditional table games as well as several video machines in which players can wager real money.

If the casinos are too far of a drive or not convenient to visit often, any Oklahoma resident is free to join the thousands who are already members of legal online casinos which can deliver all the excitement of slots and table games right into their living rooms or on their mobile phones.

By far the most popular means of gambling is playing in poker games. The high quantity of tribal casinos in Oklahoma all offer poker tables, meaning there is ample opportunity for anyone in the state to sign up for a guaranteed cash poker tournament or sit at a table for a couple hands in hopes of getting hot and scoring a quick profit.

Oklahoma also refrains from legislating or interfering with the sacred rite of passage that is the home game.

Whether it is through Friday night cards and beers amongst buddies from the office, or a game played via a legal online poker room in the comfort of a resident’s own home, Oklahoma has a deep love of poker. As long as players are not doing business with illicit and unregulated gambling rings, they should have nothing to fear from the player standpoint.

Oklahoma Minimum Gambling Ages

While it may be easier to gamble without risking any legal ramifications than earlier thought possible, there is definitely no reason to want to make the issue any more complicated. Waiting until one is of the appropriate age to gamble cannot be recommended strongly enough, because that is a surefire way to take an already confusing situation and make it impossible to navigate. Luckily, Oklahoma gambling laws says residents need only wait until they are 18 to legally gamble, however they should be aware that different land-based casinos require different ages to play despite what is specified in Oklahoma gambling code. In some cases, casinos require patrons to be at least 21 years old...take a few minutes to check before going.

Violating this simple statute will not only result in fines being handed down from the state, but the facility in which the offender is caught gambling underage with will certainly institute a ban that will span several years, as well as seizing any funds associated with the guilty party’s account, including winnings. Underage gambling is simply not worth it, and should be avoided at all costs.

Where to Gamble in Oklahoma

On-Land: Anyone living in Oklahoma who is passionate about gambling in a brick and mortar casino environment should be incredibly thankful that their home state houses so many Native American reservations, because it is by this virtue alone that the state of Oklahoma houses any legal casinos. While no one may confuse these facilities for the ones available in Las Vegas, they are a pleasant alternative to gambling in a scummy alleyway, and can provide a weekend of great fun for all residents who decide to drop in and pay a visit.

Still, in a state as geographically large as Oklahoma, these casinos can be a little too few and far between for some avid gambling fans, but as wise men say, some options are better than none.

Online/Web-Based: It seems like this entire page has been hammering home that while the simple act of participating in gambling will not be prosecuted in Oklahoma, anyone who attempts to facilitate it for a profit will be promptly put under arrest and charged for a felony. How can there possibly be gambling sites that are ok for Oklahoma players? It is because of where legal Oklahoma gambling sites are physically located. All the gambling sites indexed on this OklahomaGamblingLaws are located in foreign territories, putting them well outside of any US jurisdiction, meaning there is no threat of any legal agencies shutting them down.

Anyone nervous about gambling with foreign entities should take all the positives of investing in a legal and legitimate business into account. Firstly, in order to continue to operate legally in their native countries, these networks need to adhere to strict regulations regarding payouts and fair play. This insures all the money deposited into accounts and guarantees that players have just as good if not better odds to win online as they do at land based casinos. Secondly, only legal operations have access to the secure internet connections that guarantee financial security. These websites have all been in operation for over ten years and have never been hacked.

Top Gambling Sites For Oklahoma Players

#1 Site For Betting On Cowboys & Sooners Football

Of all the legal gambling sites that welcome Oklahoma residents out there, there is one that stands out over the rest of them and that is Bovada. After serving US residents for well over 20 years, the Bovada name has practically redefined legitimacy and legality in online gambling, and certainly set the standard for what legal gambling networks can be. Boasting one of the world’s most complete sportsbooks, liveliest poker rooms and most cutting edge online casinos, you’ll never have to choose which Bovada service suits you best – they are all excellent choices.

In addition to a superior product and top notch customer service, Bovada offers one more fantastic feature – total freedom. Through the use of Bovada’s mobile app, you can take your casino with you wherever you go. A trip on the subway or a layover in the airport need never feel hopeless again – with a casino, poker room, and sportsbook constantly at your disposal, any time spent with your mobile device could be time earning profits!

List of Trusted OK Betting Sites

Have More Questions? Here's Our Suggestion...

Making the decision to risk real money on games, also known as gambling, is one you must be comfortable with in order to be successful. Gambling in Oklahoma is certainly a complex subject and we might not have answered all of your questions. If that's the case, it's ok because there other resources that can help fill in the blanks. Above all, the two best solutions are to either visit Oklahoma legal code online in order to read and decipher Oklahoma gambling laws for yourself (follow the previous link), or contact a qualified legal professional who is licensed to practice law in the Sooner State. Good luck and godspeed!

Oklahoma is just 45 minutes of where I sit in my home office as I write this post. Just over the Texas border, with Oklahoma is the world’s largest casino, WinStar.

WinStar is probably the most well-known casino in Oklahoma, which is itself a newcomer to the American casino scene.

But it’s not a a gambling destination to overlook when you’re planning your next casino vacation.

The History of Gambling in Oklahoma

Gambling in Oklahoma has a recent history.

The Sooner State made horse racing legal in 1982. Compared to Nevada, Oklahoma was late to the gambling party. Nevada legalized gambling in 1949.

Oklahoma would wait another 10 years before making it legal to play bingo for money. If your grandma won money playing bingo before 1992 in OK, it was probably under the table.

In 2003, Oklahoma would legalize the lottery. This was in keeping with a nationwide trend of setting up state-run lotteries. People were driving across state lines to play the lottery.

Oklahoma saw this as a lost revenue opportunity and created their own lottery commission. Now, instead of their residents traveling to Texas to buy tickets, they could spend their lottery dollars in their home state.

Here’s a side note:

Casinos became legal the same year that lotteries became legal. 2004 was a big year for the Sooner State. There are quite a few requirements for casinos in Oklahoma. I will get into that shortly. All casinos in Oklahoma are required to be located and operated by native tribes.

Laws Surrounding Casinos in Oklahoma

Here are the basic gambling/ casino rules for the state of Oklahoma:

What Is the Legal Gambling Age in Oklahoma?

18-21. The age range depends on the casino. Make sure to check the age requirements before visiting any Oklahoma casino.

Can Anyone Open a Casino?

No. The state mandated that the casinos in Oklahoma must be located on native lands and run by native tribes. This mandate is spelled out that native tribes have an exclusivity agreement with the state and pay 4-10% tax for this agreement.

Native tribes were the primary operators of horse tracks and most of the state’s bingo halls. Once the state legalized casinos, the native tribe racetracks and bingo halls converted to casinos.

Pay close attention to this story as it unfolds. This could be a huge shift in native lands casinos in this country. Oklahoma Governor Stitt has filed a lawsuit to halt operation of native casinos in his state.

Is There Anything Else I Need to Know About Oklahoma Gambling Laws?

Yes, there are a few quirks to Oklahoma’s gambling laws.

The first quirky law every casino has in common – there are ante requirements for all casino games. The ante varies depending on the game. Blackjack tables have a 50-cent ante, and craps and roulette tables have a $1.00 ante. It’s weird, but it’s also part of playing table games in the state.

Best Three Casinos to Visit in Oklahoma

This is my list of my favorite casinos and casino resorts to visit in the Sooner State. They are in no particular order. Some of the casinos you’ve heard of and some of the casinos are off the beaten path.

WinStar – Thackerville, OK

Let’s get this one off the table. WinStar is Oklahoma’s, America’s, and the World’s largest casino. WInStar is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation.

This truly mega casino opened its doors as the WinStar Casino the same year that Oklahoma legalized gambling in casinos. 2004 was a game changer for the native tribe gambling establishments.

WinStar renamed itself as the WinStar Word Casino and Resort in 2013. This same year it beat out Foxwoods Casino, a native lands casino in CT, as the largest casino in the world.

WInStar boasts 370,00 square feet with a poker room made up of 55 tables, over 8,500 gaming machines, over 100 gambling tables, keno, and a high roller suite.

If you’re looking for entertainment options, WInStar is home to the Global Events Center, a concert venue that has over 3,500 seats. Famous acts make tour stops on a regular basis.

I was able to see one of my favorite TV actors, Jerry Seinfeld, do his standup act there in the summer of 2019.

If you’re a foodie like my husband and I, you’ll be looking for dining options. WinStar World Casino and Resort offers options for all tastes and budget options.

Wanting a classic steak house experience?

Check.

Oklahoma Gambling Tax Laws On Losses

Want a quick bite to soak up last night’s revelries before hitting the casino floor?

Check.

Your kid only eats spaghetti?

They’ve got Italian food too.

Don’t forget that WinStar also had its own PGA designed golf course. If you’re a fan of the Netflix hit documentary, Tiger King, it’s just a short drive to visit Joe Exotic’s former zoo.

WinStar is unique in its size and location. It’s just over an hour drive from the Dalls-Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the largest cities in America. This also makes traveling to the mega casino resort a breeze.

If you’re new to gambling in Oklahoma casinos, then WInStar World Casino and Resort is a great place to start.

Don’t get lost, though.

My son’s college roommate was there for a bachelor party and was lost for four hours. With a dead phone. And a little tipsy.

You’ve been warned.

Choctaw Casino and Resort – Durant, OK

Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant, OK is the flagship location of the Choctaw Nation’s chain of casinos and resorts. The Durant location is located on 50 acres belonging to the Choctaw Nation.

As required by Oklahoma gaming laws, Choctaw properties are managed and owned by the tribal nation. The profits go to improvement projects for the native nation.

The Durant casino and resort has a 218,884 sq. Foot casino floor. You can play one of the over 4,800 gaming machines, place a bet (with an ante of course) at any of the over 80 table games. Choctaw Durant also offers a horse racing sportsbook.

There are a variety of dining and entertainment options. The resort features multiple pools with cabanas that can be reserved.

Are you thinking of making it a family trip?

The resort offers bowling, shopping, a movie theater, and an arcade.

The Choctaw Casino and Resort is a great option for families that are looking for a a family getaway with adult gambling and entertainment options.

Just like WinStar, Choctaw Durant is only a 1.5-hour drive from DFW airport.

Artesian Hotel Casino – Sulphur, OK

The high-end experience at Artesian Hotel Casino is a fantastic option for an adult-only weekend getaway. Located in Sulphur, OK, the casino and hotel is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation as per Oklahoma gaming laws.

The Artesian is much smaller than the other two casinos resorts on my list. The boutique hotel and casino opened April 2013. The casino floor is 15,000 square feet of gaming featuring high roller rooms, baccarat, blackjack, and poker.

Artesian Hotel Casino is an excellent romantic weekend getaway option. You can book a spa day, like my husband did for our 25^th wedding anniversary, at their award-winning spa, the SOLE’SERNITY.

Their dining options are reminiscent of country club offerings with a flushed-out wine list. The three dining establishment offer everything from a gourmet eggs benedict to a house-aged rib eye. My personal favorite drink offering is the Tennessee Fir Mule at the Fountain Club.

The hotel rooms are splendid with décor. The rooms range in size and amenities. They remind me of a less loud version of the W Chicago.

Much like the other two casino resorts on this list, this hotel and casino is a short drive from DFW airport, clocking in at about 2 hours. For me, a spa and gambling getaway is worth the slightly longer drive.

Oklahoma Gambling Age

Conclusion

I hope you have better grasp of the casino offering from Oklahoma’s diverse gaming industry. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what Oklahoma’s gambling landscape has to offer.

There are 60 casinos in Oklahoma. All of them are owned and managed by native tribes. The fact that the tribes redistribute the profits to improvements within their communities is a feel-good win for me as well.

I would love to hear your feedback and questions. Leave a comment below.