"I have had conversations with our gaming tribes during the interim to gauge their interest on this topic," Luttrell said. "I feel the time is right for Oklahoma to partner with the tribes and ensure a level, competitive gaming playing field with the surrounding states."

According to Luttrell, there are currently 30 states with legal sports betting and another 15 that are considering it for 2022. He said that Arkansas has legalized it in their casinos and Kansas is currently working on an agreement of their own.

"Illegal sports betting occurs throughout Oklahoma, and figures I obtained from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) show 11 offenses recently with tens of thousands of dollars seized," Luttrell said. "This reflects only a fraction of what actually occurs in our state. The Oxford Economics Group estimates that legal sports betting would generate $240 million in revenue for Oklahoma and create over 3000 direct and indirect jobs. This legislation just makes sense."

Legislators have until Jan. 20 to formally introduce bills and joint resolutions for the upcoming session that begins Feb. 7.

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