Oklahoma Sweepstakes Ban Bill Clears Another House Step

Oklahoma lawmakers have pushed SB 1589 further along, adding another unanimous vote to a bill that would widen gambling law and bring online sweepstakes casinos more clearly under state enforcement.

Good to Know

• SB 1589 passed the House Criminal Judiciary Committee by a 6 to 0 vote on April 7.
• The bill already passed the Senate 48 to 0 earlier in March.
• If approved by the House and signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt, the measure would take effect on Nov. 1.

Oklahoma Bill Widens The Net Around Sweepstakes Casinos

A class C2 felony sits inside the Oklahoma proposal, and that says a lot about where lawmakers want to take the issue. Under SB 1589, the delivery or marketing of online casino games covered by the bill would carry fines from $500 to $2,000.

At the same time, the bill leaves room for tribal operators to run online social casinos on tribal lands. That carveout was added after consultation during drafting, while lawmakers also argued that offshore platforms have already cost the state millions in lost revenue.

Only after those details does the latest vote come into view. On April 7, the House Criminal Judiciary Committee advanced SB 1589 by a 6 to 0 margin. Earlier in March, the Senate passed the same bill 48 to 0. Sponsors are Sen. Todd Gollihare and Rep. Scott Fetgatter, and the next stop is the House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee.

The legal language is built to reach deeper than one label or one product type. SB 1589 says an online casino game includes any gambling carried out online that replicates slot machines, lottery games, bingo, or other prohibited games when anything of value is involved. So the focus is not only branding. It is also game format and reward structure.

Another key part of the bill goes after value itself. The proposal would amend the definition of a representative of value so it also covers virtual currency used in a dual-currency system when that currency can be converted into cash, goods, or other assets. In plain language, lawmakers are trying to catch both the casino-style game and the token model around it.

The bill fits a broader state trend, with six states having passed similar bans since last year. Indiana and Maine were the most recent states mentioned as introducing bills to ban sweepstakes casinos. The legislative session of Oklahoma runs through May 29, leaving more time for the proposal to keep advancing

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