Oklahoma tribes to launch real-money online casino
Only non-US players to be accepted " state to take 20% of revenues.
Two Oklahoma tribes have been given the green light from the state Governor to operate a real-money online casino that takes bets from non-US players.
An internet casino run by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, Pokertribes.com, was taken down last Friday after Governor Mary Fallin ruled that the state gaming compact did not allow for an online wagering site accepting US players.
However a new agreement has now been reached allowing the tribes, which run two land-based casinos in Oklahoma, to operate a real-money site accepting international players, with the state receiving 20% of revenues generated. The deal also covers other tribes with state gaming compacts.
The tribes’ governor Janice Prairie-Chief Boswell told local paper CapitolBeatOK: “The settlement agreement effectively shuts down the tribes online social gaming network, including Pokertribes.com, inside the United States in exchange for an agreement that the tribes be allowed to operate the site internationally pursuant to international standards and each specific countries jurisdictional requirements consistent with all state of Oklahoma and US federal laws.”
Although Oklahoma has not legalised online gambling, tribes are exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
While no statement was issued on this deal, Fallin’s administration did comment on the decision to enforce the tribes to take down their site last week.
“Internet gaming is improper in Oklahoma. We basically are saying we will not expand gaming in Oklahoma on the internet,” said Fallin’s general counsel Steve Mullins.
“[The tribes] came to the table, and they worked with us until we could get it resolved. They’ve been good partners on that,” he added.
It has also been announced on the Pokertribes.com homepage that the real-money casino is expected to go live this summer and will include a mobile offering.