Posted on: October 26, 2023, 05:23h.
Last updated on: October 26, 2023, 05:23h.
A legislative committee in Oklahoma has dealt a blow to Governor Kevin Sitt’s efforts to change the state’s tribal gaming rules. The committee rejected a gaming compact negotiated by the governor with two tribes in the state.
The Joint Committee on State Tribal Relations expressed concerns about the potential casino expansion in Oklahoma County that could result from the renegotiated gaming compacts. These concerns led to the rejection of the agreements.
Trevor Pemberton, a representative for Governor Sitt, argued that the compacts would benefit the state’s economy by increasing the revenue generated from casino gaming.
The rejected compacts, negotiated in 2020, involved the United Keetoowah Band and the Kialegee Tribal Town. They would have allowed the tribes to offer sports betting and permit new tribes to open casinos in the state.
Tribes Disappointed
The tribes expressed their disappointment with the committee’s decision as they had hoped for economic growth through the establishment of new casinos.
Chief Joe Bunch of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians lamented the lack of opportunity to present their case: “We are disappointed that we didn’t get to tell our side of the story. Today’s defeat, it hurt. It hurts big, particularly not to have the opportunity to discuss these issues,” he said.
Governor Sitt defended the compacts, highlighting the opportunity they provided for smaller tribes to open their own casinos. Currently, only the largest tribes in the state can operate casinos.
Litigation Continues
Wednesday’s rejection of the compacts adds to the ongoing legal battle surrounding tribal gaming in Oklahoma. The agreements were previously rejected by the Oklahoma Supreme Court and litigation is ongoing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has criticized Governor Sitt’s handling of the tribal gaming issue. Drummond is seeking to take over representing the state in the litigation, accusing the governor of wasting taxpayers’ money and misrepresenting the state’s interests. The two sides are currently arguing the matter in court briefs.
The case was initiated by the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Citizen Potawatomi, and Choctaw nations against the Interior Department and other defendants who oversee tribal gaming at the federal level.
State Senator Kay Floyd cited the ongoing litigation as reason to delay approval of the compacts during the hearing.