Could the Oklahoma City Thunder be a catalyst for sports betting in the state?
The Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team has pitched in on a proposal pushing for sports betting and gambling to be legalized in Oklahoma, but could it be the thing that turns the tides for sports betting in the state?
Oklahoma is one of the few states where sports betting remains illegal in the United States, but that may change as some lawmakers are pushing to allow gambling in the state. Tribal negotiations are underway, and if passed, new legislation would officially allow sports betting in the state. The state’s famed Oklahoma City Thunder pro basketball team is now formally joining that push towards legalizing sports betting while bringing a fresh solution for the state’s consideration.
Thunder proposes betting partnership with Oklahoma tribes
The Thunder are pushing for a framework through which the team would partner with an Oklahoma tribe consortium to offer statewide betting. The proposal would see the team receive 0.25% of resulting revenues. Will Syring, OKC Thunder vice president of corporate sponsorships, was the one to pitch the idea. Similar systems are already in place in multiple US states. Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Virginia are just a few states where pro sports teams, including other basketball teams like the Thunder, have such betting licenses.
Image credit: NBA
The license would allow the team to operate only outside tribal areas. Individual tribes in Oklahoma would be free to operate legal sports betting ventures, whether in-person or via online betting sites, through their own agreements within tribal areas. If passed, this framework would also provide Oklahoma with fresh revenues that could be put to use for the benefit of the state.
The proposal seems to be beneficial for all parties involved, but can it become reality?
Oklahoma has struggled to legalize sports betting
State lawmakers are on board with passing legislation allowing sports betting, to join other states where sports gambling is already legal, but have been unable to pass any such law. 2025 saw two bills, HB 1047 and HB 1101, that passed the state House but didn’t make it past the state’s Senate.
HB 1047 would have officially established a sports betting framework, but it would have granted exclusive betting rights to tribes. HB 1101 was a backup option that would put sports betting on the ballot if HB 1047 was vetoed. Governor Kevin Stitt has stated that he would veto any sports betting bill that gives tribes exclusive rights in Oklahoma. A push to legalize sports betting previously failed in 2020 due to disagreements with some of the state’s tribes.
The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association has stated that tribes are crucial for the legalization of sports betting. OIGA Chair Matthew Morgan has also gone on the record in stating that he is willing to work with Thunder to get sports betting legalized in Oklahoma. But any bill involving the tribes could face further challenges from Governor Stitt, even with the Oklahoma City Thunder now throwing their own weight behind it.
Feature image credit: OKC Thunder on X
Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.
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