Oklahoma Declares UKB Gaming Deal Legally Expired

Oklahoma’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond has rejected a gaming compact signed by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB), calling it legally invalid. The rejection may halt the tribe’s hopes of reopening its gaming facility, which has remained closed following a long-standing dispute with the Cherokee Nation.

Good to know

• The model compact expired more than five years ago, on January 1, 2020.
• UKB sent the agreement to the U.S. Department of the Interior for federal review.
• The Cherokee Nation continues to oppose UKB’s gaming efforts in the state.

According to a formal legal opinion issued on June 9, Drummond stated that the compact UKB signed on April 29, 2025, could not be enforced because the legal framework that allowed for automatic agreements expired back in 2020. He wrote, “The April 29, 2025, execution of Oklahoma’s statutory model gaming compact by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma did not create a valid agreement between the State of Oklahoma and the UKB.”

UKB had hoped the signed document would qualify under the model compact system and allow them to resume gaming operations. However, because the tribe did not have a valid compact in effect when the model terms expired, they are now required to go through the formal negotiation process via the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations.

Compact Sent to Federal Review

The UKB submitted the signed compact to the U.S. Department of the Interior in May. If the department does not act within 45 days, the agreement would normally go into effect automatically. But with Oklahoma officially opposing the deal, the department may face pressure to reconsider.

UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche responded by questioning whether political influence from the Cherokee Nation played a role in the Attorney General’s opinion. He said, “The fact that the Attorney General would issue a legal opinion that (erroneously) addresses the UKB without government-to-government consultation speaks volumes regarding the curious political influence of the Cherokee Nation.”

Long-Running Tribal Dispute Resurfaces

The Cherokee Nation and UKB have a long history of tension, particularly around land rights and governance. The U.S. Department of the Interior recently declared the UKB an equal successor to the original Cherokee Nation, a designation the Cherokee Nation has opposed for years.

Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. maintained his objection to the UKB’s gaming ambitions, stating, “We know UKB will continue to misinterpret the law and misrepresent its own and the history of the Cherokee Nation.” He added that the Cherokee Nation holds “sovereign authority and exclusive tribal jurisdiction over our 7,000 square-mile Reservation in Oklahoma.”

Hoskin also indicated that the Cherokee Nation would work closely with federal lawmakers to prevent the compact from moving forward.

Past Attempts and Legal Setbacks

The UKB previously operated a Class II casino in Tahlequah, but its operations were blocked after legal intervention from the Cherokee Nation challenged the land’s trust status. The now-rejected compact was intended to pave the way for a potential reopening. With the state’s disapproval and federal review pending, that path appears uncertain once again.

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