Oklahoma is ranked as the sixth-most gambling- addicted state in the nation, according to a study performed by WalletHub.
Gambling disorder, as it’s known, affects approximately 1% to 3% of all U.S. adults.
That addiction can lead to serious economic consequences.
The American Gaming Association reported that the commercial gambling industry made a record $66.5 billion in revenue last year, 10% more than the previous high and the industry’s third consecutive record year.
U.S. consumers experience more than $100 billion in total gambling losses each year, according to The Economist magazine.
One Las Vegas bus driver told his passengers to take a look at the gambling venues on The Strip, and said, “All of those were financed from gambling losses.”
Gambling exists in every state, even Hawaii and Utah, where gambling is prohibited by law. WalletHub compared all 50 states across two key dimensions, “Gambling Friendliness” and “Gambling Problem & Treatment,” and evaluated those using 20 relevant metrics.
The metrics included the presence of illegal gambling operations, lottery sales per capita, the share of adults with gambling disorders, presence of retail/convenience gaming, gambling counselors per capita, and gambling-related arrests per capita.
Gambling addiction in the Sooner State ranked behind only Nevada, South Dakota, Montana, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania.
Oklahoma, Nevada and South Dakota tied for first in casinos per capita (adults aged 18 and older); Oklahoma, Montana, Nevada, and South Dakota tied for first in gaming machines per capita; and Oklahoma ranked ninth in percentage of adults with gambling disorders.
Oklahoma has more than 100 casinos, and all of them are operated by Native American tribes. Oklahoma has more Indian casinos than any other state in the nation.
The commercial gaming industry continues to evolve, with online gaming constituting nearly one-quarter (24.7%) of nationwide commercial gaming revenue in 2023, a new annual high. Looking at each sector:
• Traditional Gaming: Brick-and-mortar casino slots and table games grossed a record $49.4 billion last year, up 3.3% over 2022. On a state le vel, 19 of 27 traditional gaming markets saw record annual revenue.
• Sports Betting: In 2023, sports betting achieved new records for handle ($119.8B) and for sportsbook revenue ($10.9B), up 27.8% and 44.5% respectively. This growth was largely fueled by continued maturation across most existing markets as well as several new markets, particularly in Massachusetts and Ohio.
• iGaming: 2023 online casino revenue grew 22.9% year-overyear to $6.2 billion in the six states with f ullscale legal iGaming.
The commercial gaming industry also contributed more than ever to state and local government coffers in 2023. Throughout the year, commercial gaming operators paid an estimated $14.4 billion in direct gaming revenue taxes, an increase of 9.7% year-over-year. The industry also contributes billions of ad ditional tax dollars to states each year in the form of income, sales, payroll and various other corporate taxes.
Oklahoma tribes own and operate 143 gaming outlets Thirty-three of the 39 federally recognized Native American tribes in Oklahoma operate 143 casinos and gaming centers. These gambling locations include Class III casinos with Vegas-style gambling, Class II casinos with no-banker electronic gaming, travel plazas with slot machines, and smoke shops with Indian gaming.
Gambling in Oklahoma last year supported 89,402 jobs, and the estimated economic impact from gaming was $12.19 billion, the American Gaming Association reported.
Casinos in southwest Oklahoma include Apache Casino Hotel in Lawton, operated by the Fort Sill Apache Tribe; Apache Lone Star Casino at Devol; Casino Oklahoma at Hinton, operated by the Delaware Nation; Chisholm Trail Casino in Duncan, operated by the Chickasaw Nation; Comanche Cache Casino; Comanche Nation Casino in Lawton; Comanche Red River Casino at Devol; Comanche Spur Casino at Elgin; Comanche Star Casino at Walters; and Comanche War Pony Casino at Devol.
Also Gold River Casino at Anadarko, operated by the Delaware Nation; Golden Eagle Casino at Apache, operated by the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Casino at Devol; Kiowa Casino Hobart; Kiowa Casino Red River, at Devol; Numunu Pahmu Travel Plaza and Casino at Devol; Riverstar Casino at Terral; the Chickasaws’ Salt Creek Casino at Pocasset; and Warm Springs Casino at Anadarko, operated by the Fort Sill Apache Tribe.
WinStar World Casino and Resort, at Thackerville off Interstate 35 just nor th of the Red River, is the third largest casino in North America. It encompasses 600,000 square feet under roof and is divided into eight sections, each themed after great cities of the world.
WinStar has more than 7,400 electronic games, table games, off-track betting, bingo, and MegaKeno, and many of its patrons stay overnight at its 1,400-room hotel.
State received $202M in tribal gaming fees The state Off ice of Management and Enterprise Services reported that the State of Oklahoma collected more than $202 million in tribal gaming exclusivity fees in Fiscal Year 2023 under state-tribal gaming compacts with 33 tribes. That sum was a 5.6% increase over the previous year.
The exclusivity fees included $48,276 from the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; $4,182,505 from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; $74,909,690 received from the Chickasaw Nation; $3,658,783 from the Comanche Nation; $723,690 from the Delaware Nation; $1,957,969 from the Fort Sill Apache Tribe; $2,240,715 from the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma; and $514,478 from the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.
Native American tribes paid the FY23 exclusivity fees on $3.339 billion in revenue generated from Class III electronic games and non-housebanked card games.
According to OMES, the number of Class III machines averaged 45,757 in FY23.
The state does not collect any revenue from Class II gaming, which is considered bingo games.
Exclusivity fees are distributed to the Education Reform Revolving Fund (House Bill 1017 Fund), the General Revenue Fund and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. In FY23 the 1017 Fund received $177.8 million and the GRF received $24 million.
ODMHSAS statutorily receives a set $250,000 annually from exclusivity fees.
Most-addicted gambling states Ranked after Nevada, South Dakota, Montana, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania were Oklahoma, 6; Mississippi, 7; New Jersey, 10; California, 11; Texas, 14; Colorado, 23; Missouri, 24; New Mexico, 31; Arkansas, 40; Kansas, 42; and Utah, 50.
The country with the biggest losses per resident adult was Australia, at almost $1,000.
The U.S. ranked fifth in that category, at about $425 per resident adult.