Oklahoma lawmaker pushes for sports betting legislation ahead of 2025 session

Oklahoma State Senator Bill Coleman is making another attempt to legalize sports betting in the state after his previous efforts failed during the last legislative session. As football season kicks off, sports fans in neighboring states like Arkansas are already placing their bets, while Oklahomans are left on the sidelines.

Senator Coleman, who proposed a sports betting bill last year, is determined to push it forward again when the legislative session resumes in 2025. "There is a demand for sports betting in Oklahoma," he said, noting the growing interest among residents to legally engage in the activity.

In his discussions with companies like FanDuel, Coleman addressed concerns regarding problem gambling. "I was concerned about people who have an addiction, how easy it was, but in talking with the sports betting companies, they monitor for problems, and electronic artificial intelligence helps them a lot. They're looking out for problems," Coleman said.

Coleman also highlighted the potential economic benefits of legalizing sports betting. "The figures I keep hearing are around $150 million in state revenue that would come out with sports betting in Oklahoma," he said. The senator believes that legalizing sports betting would keep money within the state, particularly as Texas is likely to introduce similar legislation soon.

Coleman is encouraging Oklahoma residents to voice their support for sports betting by contacting their legislators. He hopes that with enough backing, Oklahoma can soon join the growing list of states that have legalized the activity.