Gambling In Ok

Oklahoma Gambling Laws. The main oddity of Oklahoma gambling laws consists of their tardiness, being one of the last states to regulate any form of wagering. It was only in 1982 that betting on horse races became legit. Ten years later, bingo and raffles became a hit statewide, but still long after the majority of states allowed it. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a thriving nation of nearly 200,000 people. We celebrate a vibrant heritage of resilience and spirit, and today, we have no greater purpose than empowering each and every Choctaw to live a life filled with possibility. Riverwind Casino. $$$Casinos, Hotels, Music Venues. 1544 W State Hwy 9. Today, the reimagined and rebuilt Artesian Hotel, Casino and Spa took that original vision and grew it into southern Oklahoma’s foremost destination for pampering, dining, gaming and indulgent relaxation.

1. Gambling In Oklahoma City
2. Gambling In Oklahoma Close To Dallas
3. Gambling In Oklahoma
4. Gambling In Oklahoma Near Texas Border
5. Gambling In Oklahoma History

While not quite on the same level as Las Vegas, Oklahoma has become quite the gaming destination since casinos were legalized in 2004.

With no fewer than 134 casinos to choose from, including the largest casino in the United States, Oklahoma comes in second only to Nevada when it comes to choices of venue.

Located exclusively on Native American tribal lands across the state, you’ll find plenty of quality entertainment to choose from, including:

Dice and roulette wheels have only recently been legalized and regulated, so they’re still hard to find.

Ready to test your skills and discover if fortune awaits? Here’s my list of the seven best casinos for gambling in Oklahoma.

1 – The Winstar World Casino

Sleepy Thackerville, Oklahoma is home to the largest casino in the U.S.—the WinStar World Casino. In operation since gaming was legalized by the State in 2004, Winstar offers more than 500,000 square feet dedicated to the largest collection of electronic games in the world.

The poker room is spacious and has become famous over the years for providing solid gaming action any time of the day or night, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

If you’re bringing your family along or are looking for more of a true vacation experience, you can take advantage of their 1,500 rooms located in 3 tower hotels and the many other attractions, including:

• 36 holes of golf
• Live entertainment
• Spa and fitness center

• Pool and cabanas
• Shopping areas
• Restaurants and bars

If you’re passing through on a roadtrip across the Southwest, an RV park containing 160 spaces might be more your style.

If you’re looking for a single, one-off Oklahoma casino experience, I recommend the Winstar World Casino as your obvious destination.

2 – Choctaw Casinos & Resorts—Durant

Choctaw Casino & Resort—Durant is one of seven properties that are owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation.

The second-largest casino in the state behind only the Winstar World Casino, Choctaw Casino & Resorts—Durant hosts a vibrant gaming scene, no matter what your game of choice may be.

4,300 slot machines are ready for you to test your fortune, including your classic favorites as well as the latest in electronic gaming developments. Progressive, high-stakes, and penny slots are all made available for your gaming enjoyment.

The dedicated poker room has 26 tables that range from low-stakes friendly games to high-stakes for serious poker players looking to test their skills. I recommend this particular venue for poker aficionados because it’s located on a separate floor from the main casino and is well-suited to concentration. Their excellent service staff works hard to make sure you have an exciting experience.

A racebook (horse racing wagers for 18 seperate tracks located across the country) and a wide range of table games complete the outstanding gaming experience.

As a resort, the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts—Durant offers 8 restaurants, approximately 775 hotel rooms, an RV park with 75 spaces, as well as excellent amenities and entertainment in addition to gaming that make it a great place for a vacation or conference, including:

• Live entertainment
• Shopping
• Video game arcade

• Bowling
• Spa and pool facilities
• Gymnasium and batting cages

Its location in southwest Oklahoma makes it a convenient choice for gaming enthusiasts from Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

3 – Riverwind Casino

Riverwind Casino, located in Norman, OK, is the largest casino in close proximity to the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

The Riverwind offers a High Stakes venue that makes it a favorite among those looking for more serious wagers and bigger payouts.

If Texas Hold ’Em or Pot Limit Omaha are your games of choice, the poker room at Riverwind Casino has 17 tables and 153 seats. They also host daily tournaments and promotions designed to increase the excitement of your poker experience, and the payoffs attract players ranging from the casually interested to the most serious around.

The poker room has limited hours, though more than adequate for most players. The poker room is open 9 AM to 3:30 AM Sunday through Thursday, and 9 AM to 4:30 AM Friday and Saturday.

The 100-room Riverwind Hotel offers a comfortable, restful stay in well-appointed rooms just minutes from the gaming action.

I recommend Riverwind also for its impressive country music entertainment and comedy line-ups as well.

If you find yourself in the Oklahoma City area, Riverwind is worth the 30-minute drive south down I-35 to Norman.

4 – Newcastle Casino

A sister property of Riverwind Casino, the 112,000-square-foot Newcastle Casino is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation.

The town of Newcastle is within an hour’s drive of downtown Oklahoma City—it’s an excellent smaller venue for those more focused on the games and stakes, as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the larger resorts like the Winstar World Casino and the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts—Durant.

The 83,000-square-foot gaming floor is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing more than 3,000 electronic games for your wagering entertainment.

Its wide variety of table games include:

• Mississippi stud
• Blackjack

• Baccarat
• Roulette
• Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em

As advertised, the Newcastle provides skilled dealers and offers an authentic, no-frills poker and gaming experience in a relaxed and comfortable environment, catering to amateur and professional players alike.

Although the casino has no hotel offering rooms for extended stays on site, it offers a full-service bar and an 82-seat restaurant that serves a wide variety of Southern-style dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

5 – The Cherokee Casino Roland

Owned and operated by Cherokee Nation Entertainment, a division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, the 170,000-square-foot Cherokee Casino Roland is located near the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line, a 10-minute drive from Ft. Smith, AR on US Interstate 40.

Cherokee Casino Roland is home to an exciting slot selection of over 900 of the latest reel, video reel, and video poker games that offer impressive jackpots and progressive payouts.

Table games include:

• Ultimate Texas Hold’em Progressive

• Three Card Poker Progressive
• 21 Plus 3

One of the main draws for people who visit the Cherokee Casino Roland is the atmosphere. The establishment has a comfortable and enjoyable feel. The experienced dealers and staff that you’ll meet on the casino floor receive great reviews from visitors as well.

If you’re hoping to stay for a few days, the Cherokee Casino Roland has 120 comfortable, non-smoking rooms with a variety of amenities, and there are also 12 suites offering a higher level of luxury.

6 – Indigo Sky Casino

Opened in 2012, Indigo Sky Casino in Wyandotte, OK, is one of the newer casinos making a splash on the Oklahoma casino scene.

The hotel has 244 rooms, and the casino area hosts more than 1200 electronic games and 12 table games, including No-Limit Hold ‘Em, Omaha, Crazy Pineapple, and variations on classic favorites like Double Deck Pitch Blackjack, Six Deck Shoe Blackjack, WPT Heads Up Hold’em, Four Card Frenzy, and Three Card Prime progressives.

The eight-table poker room is somewhat small, but you’ll find that it’s always active and the atmosphere is enjoyable.

The Indigo Sky Casino also has a 520-seat bingo hall, which provides a sense of nostalgia for the days when bingo was the only form of gambling allowed in the state.

two restaurant-bars, a food court, and 244 comfortably-appointed rooms round out this excellent casino experience.

7 – River Spirit Casino Resort

Gambling In Oklahoma City

Located in Tulsa,OK, the River Spirit Casino became home to Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant in 2016.

Approximately 200,000 square feet of gaming space makes River Spirit Casino Resort one of the largest casinos in the state. Their wide selection of electronic games includes more than 3,100 of the most popular, state-of-the-art electronic games, ranging from progressives to electronic poker.

They have a large table game selection that includes:

Gambling In Oklahoma Close To Dallas

• Blackjack
• Craps
• Ultimate Texas Hold’em

• 21+3
• Free Bet Blackjack
• Bad Beat Mini-Baccarat

The poker room has 15 tables and a full-service, professional staff that is attentive and adds to the comfortable-yet-exciting atmosphere.

A variety of bars and restaurants are available to meet your needs, including the popular tropic-themed Margaritaville Restaurant.

Conclusion

Whatever your preferences may be, you’ll be able to find great casinos all over Oklahoma, each one providing its own unique blend of gaming, entertainment, and amenities.

Limiting this list to just seven of my favorites, I’ve no doubt left out places that provide excellent experiences. Feel free to let me know what I’m missing in the comment section.

Introduction to Oklahoma Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Oklahoma slot machine casino gambling consists of 131 American Indian tribal casinos, casino resorts, travel centers, and “gasinos” along with two pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines.

No theoretical payout limits have been set for tribal casinos in Oklahoma. In addition, no return statistics are publicly available.

This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Oklahoma*

The minimum legal gambling age in Oklahoma depends upon the gambling activity:

• Land-Based Casinos: 18
• Poker Rooms: 18
• Bingo: 16
• Lottery: 18
• Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

In November 2004, Oklahoma residents approved a State-Tribal Gaming Act through a referendum. This vote enacted a model tribal gaming compact allowing tribes to use new gaming machines and card games. Based on this generic model, 31 tribes negotiated state-tribal compacts with the state of Oklahoma.

*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Oklahoma

It is legal to own a slot machine privately in the state of Oklahoma if it is 25 years old or older.

Gaming Control Board in Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s state-tribal compacts regulate tribal gaming in Oklahoma. However, the state of Oklahoma provides oversight under these compacts, which is the legal responsibility of Oklahoma’s Gaming Compliance Unit.

Based on the Oklahoma Gaming Compliance Unit Annual Report 2018, Oklahoma’s casinos prefer offering more Class II games due to Class III games requiring up to an extra 6% of revenue to the state.

The state also collects exclusivity fees from Class III machines. In 2015, 57% of all gaming machines in Oklahoma were Class III games.

Casinos in Oklahoma

Gambling In Oklahoma

As of mid-2019, 31 American Indian tribes operated 131 facilities offering Class III gaming through tribal-state gaming compacts with the state of Oklahoma. These locations include two racetracks offering pari-mutuel wagering and slot machines.

The largest casino in Oklahoma is also the largest casino in the world. This WinStar World Casino and Resort has 7,400 gaming machines.

The second-largest casino is Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Durant with 4,300 gaming machines.

Commercial Casinos in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has no non-tribal, commercial casinos.

Tribal Casinos in Oklahoma

The 106 largest tribal casinos in Oklahoma, including two pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, are:

1. 7 Clans Casinos – Chilocco Gasino in Newkirk, 106 miles north of Oklahoma City.
2. 7 Clans Casinos – First Council Casino Resort in Newkirk, near the border to Kansas.
3. 7 Clans Casinos – Paradise Casino in Red Rock, 82 miles north of Oklahoma City.
4. 7 Clans Casinos – Perry Casino, 65 miles north of Oklahoma City.
5. 7 Clans Casinos – Red Rock Gasino, 82 miles north of Oklahoma City.
6. Ada Gaming Center – East, 85 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
7. Ada Gaming Center – West, 85 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
8. Apache Casino Hotel in Lawton, 86 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
9. Artesian Hotel Casino Spa in Sulphur, 84 miles south of Oklahoma City.
10. Black Gold Casino in Wilson, 112 miles south of Oklahoma City.
11. Border Casino in Thackerville, 124 miles south of Oklahoma City.
12. Buffalo Run Casino & Resort in Miami, 89 miles northeast of Tulsa.
13. Casino Oklahoma in Hinton, 55 miles west of Oklahoma City.
14. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Ft. Gibson, 80 miles east of Tulsa.
15. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Grove, 100 miles northeast of Tulsa.
16. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Ramona, 30 miles north of Tulsa.
17. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Roland, 175 miles east of Oklahoma City.
18. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Sallisaw, 160 miles east of Oklahoma City.
19. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – South Coffeyville, 70 miles northeast of Tulsa.
20. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Tahlequah, 83 miles southeast of Tulsa.
21. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – West Siloam Springs, 85 miles east of Tulsa.
22. Cherokee Casino & Hotel – Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, 30 miles northeast of Tulsa.
23. Chickasaw Travel Stop – Davis West, 75 miles south of Oklahoma City.
24. Chickasaw Travel Stop – Wilson, 112 miles south of Oklahoma City.
25. Chisholm Trail Casino in Duncan, 79 miles south of Oklahoma City.
26. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Broken Bow, 235 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
27. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Durant, 150 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
28. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Grant, 200 miles south of Oklahoma City.
29. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Idabel, 240 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
30. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – McAlester, 130 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
31. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Pocola, 195 miles east of Oklahoma City.
32. Choctaw Casinos & Resorts – Stringtown, 163 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
33. Cimarron Casino in Perkins, 60 miles north of Oklahoma City.
34. Comanche Nation Casino in Lawton, 86 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
35. Comanche Red River Hotel Casino in Devol, 125 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
36. Comanche Spur Casino in Eldon, 75 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
37. Comanche Star Casino in Walters, 25 miles southeast of Lawton.
38. Creek Nation Casino Bristow, 60 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
39. Creek Nation Casino Eufaula, 135 miles east of Oklahoma City.
40. Creek Nation Casino Holdenville, 75 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
41. Creek Nation Casino Muscogee, 50 miles southeast of Tulsa.
42. Creek Nation Checotah Casino, 120 miles east of Oklahoma City.
43. Downstream Casino Resort in Quapaw, on the border of Oklahoma with Missouri and Kansas.
44. Duck Creek Casino in Beggs, 35 miles south of Tulsa.
45. Gold Mountain Casino in Ardmore, 100 miles south of Oklahoma City.
46. Gold River Casino in Anadarko, 60 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
47. Golden Pony Casino in Okemah, 72 miles east of Oklahoma City.
48. Goldsby Gaming Center in Norman, 21 miles south of Oklahoma City.
49. Grand Casino Hotel Resort in Shawnee, 38 miles east of Oklahoma City.
50. Grand Lake Casino in Grove, 80 miles northeast of Tulsa.
51. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa, on the outskirts of Tulsa.
52. High Winds Casino in Miami, 89 miles northeast of Tulsa.
53. Indigo Sky Casino & Resort in Wyandotte, 90 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
54. Ioway Casino in Chandler, 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
55. Kickapoo Casino Harrah, 31 miles east of Oklahoma City.
56. Kickapoo Casino Shawnee, 38 miles east of Oklahoma City.
57. Kiowa Casino Carnegie, 94 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
58. Kiowa Casino Hotel Red River in Devol, 125 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
59. Kiowa Casino Verden, 57 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
60. Lucky Star Casino Canton, 60 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.
61. Lucky Star Casino Clinton, 85 miles west of Oklahoma City.
62. Lucky Star Casino Concho, 35 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.
63. Lucky Star Casino Concho Travel Center, 35 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.
64. Lucky Star Casino Hammon, 120 miles west of Oklahoma City.
65. Lucky Star Casino Watonga, 70 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.
66. Lucky Turtle Casino in Wyandotte, 90 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
67. Madill Gaming Center in Madill, 122 miles south of Oklahoma City.
68. Native Lights Casino in Newkirk, 106 miles north of Oklahoma City.
69. Newcastle Casino in Newcastle, 19 miles south of Oklahoma City.
70. Okemah Casino, 72 miles east of Oklahoma City.
71. One Fire Casino in Okmulgee, 45 miles south of Tulsa.
72. Osage Casino Hotel Bartlesville, 50 miles north of Tulsa.
73. Osage Casino Hotel Hominy, 44 miles northwest of Tulsa.
74. Osage Casino Hotel Pawhuska, on the outskirts of Tulsa.
75. Osage Casino Hotel Ponca City, 50 miles northwest of Tulsa.
76. Osage Casino Hotel Sand Springs, on the outskirts of Tulsa.
77. Osage Casino Hotel Skiatook, 17 miles north of Tulsa.
78. Prairie Moon Casino in Miami, 89 miles northeast of Tulsa.
79. Prairie Sun Casino in Miami, 89 miles northeast of Tulsa.
80. Quapaw Casino in Miami, 89 miles northeast of Tulsa.
81. Remington Park Racing Casino in Oklahoma City.
82. River Bend Casino Hotel in Wyandotte, 90 miles northeast of Tulsa.
83. River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa.
84. Rivermist Casino in Konowa, 75 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
85. Riverwind Casino in Norman, 12 miles south of Oklahoma City.
86. Sac and Fox Nation Casino in Stroud, 60 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
87. Saltcreek Casino in Pocasset, 50 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
88. Seminole Nation Casinos – Seminole Nation Casino in Konawa, 60 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.
89. Seminole Nation Casinos – Trading Post Casino in Wewoka, 60 miles east of Oklahoma City.
90. Southwind Casino Braman, 106 miles north of Oklahoma City.
91. Southwind Casino Kanza in Braman, 106 miles north of Oklahoma City.
92. Southwind Casino Newkirk, 106 miles north of Oklahoma City.
93. The Stables Casino in Miami, 89 miles northeast of Tulsa.
94. Stone Wolf Casino in Pawnee, 106 miles north of Oklahoma City.
95. Sugar Creek Casino in Hinton, 55 miles west of Oklahoma City.
96. Texoma Casino in Kingston, 130 miles south of Oklahoma City.
97. The Black Hawk Casino in Shawnee, 40 miles east of Oklahoma City.
98. Thunderbird Casino Norman, 21 miles south of Oklahoma City.
99. Thunderbird Casino Shawnee, 38 miles east of Oklahoma City.
100. Tonkawa Gasino, 91 miles north of Oklahoma City.
101. Tonkawa Hotel & Casino, 91 miles north of Oklahoma City.
102. Trading Post Casino Pawnee, 57 miles northwest of Tulsa.
103. Treasure Valley Casino & Hotel in Davis, 75 miles south of Oklahoma City.
104. Washita Casino in Paoli, 52 miles south of Oklahoma City.
105. WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, 124 miles south of Oklahoma City.

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Oklahoma slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Oklahoma is:

• North: Colorado Slots and Kansas Slots
• East: Arkansas Slots and Missouri Slots
• South: Texas Slots
• West: New Mexico Slots

Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Oklahoma.

Our Oklahoma Slots Facebook Group

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Oklahoma? If so, join our new Oklahoma slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.

There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Oklahoma. Join us!

Payout Returns in Oklahoma

Gambling In Oklahoma Near Texas Border

No theoretical payout limits are legally set by Oklahoma’s state-tribal compacts. Further, no return statistics are publicly available.

Summary of Oklahoma Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Oklahoma slot machine casino gambling consists of over a hundred tribal facilities with electronic gaming machines existing as casino resorts, casinos, convenience stores, travel centers, bingo halls, and more.

Gaming regulations come from a generic tribal-state compact, used by 31 tribes in Oklahoma to legalize Class II bingo-style and Class III Las Vegas-style gaming. It does not include theoretical payout limits nor require that tribes make return statistics publicly available.

Annual Progress in Oklahoma Slot Machine Casino Gambling

Over the last year, Bordertown Casino and Arena closed when the Eastern Shawnee Tribe decided to reassess its business plans and close the facility in December 2019. Also, the Texoma Gaming Center in Kingston became the Texoma Casino.

In early 2020, Governor Kevin Stitt of the State of Oklahoma demanded the state’s tribes update their tribal-state compacts. At issue was an attempt to improve the state’s gaming revenue by increasing income from exclusivity payments for monopoly casino rights. Ultimately, Oklahoma’s tribes united against the Governor, resolving the “bitter feud.”

Related Articles from Professor Slots

Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots

Gambling In Oklahoma History

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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC