River Spirit in south Tulsa has its eye on a form of gambling that’s been gaining steam.
The casino opened a bar earlier this month with infrastructure to support sports betting. The practice is not legal anywhere in Oklahoma but casinos are ready to flip the switch.
According to a press release, the Gridiron bar cost the Muscogee Nation more than $17 million and boasts the "largest sports viewing experience in Oklahoma" with a big video wall and dozens of televisions.
Wiley Harwell leads Oklahoma’s association for problem gambling. He says about 30% of Oklahomans already struggle with some aspect of betting addiction.
“In and of itself, it’s very disturbing that our numbers would be this high and we don’t even have legalized sports betting yet,” said Harwell.
According to the American Gaming Association, sports betting is legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Harwell says its rise along with other electronic betting options has led to a shift in demographics.
“When it was just casino style gambling, the age group was 55 and older with the highest prevalency rate. Now, it’s 45 and younger,” said Harwell.
Researchers say an increasing number of women are placing wagers, too.
In total, Oklahoma tribal casinos netted a record $6.8 billion in revenue for 2023 at more than 140 locations.
