Oklahoma sits on the brink of becoming the 11th state to essentially ban sweepstakes, with one key hurdle remaining in the process.
The signature of Governor Kevin Stitt is all that stands in the way of the prohibition, as momentum builds in favour of the ban.
As a result, Governor Stitt has five days to make a decision on the bill; however, should he fail to act, the bill will be implemented into law.
In the absence of a clear intention being signalled by Stitt, there is a real wave of support against sweepstakes in the state.
Consumer protection has been cited as key in the progression of the bill, with it looking to halt the influx of offshore operators from having a presence in the country.
Stitt has, however, been quite critical of the overall impact of gambling, even previously stating that if he had it his way, he wouldn’t allow gambling to have any presence in the state.
His stance has been heightened against the historic presence of tribal operators in the state, yet he has retained a level of support for sports betting as a vertical.
Washington could soon follow Oklahoma in prohibiting sweepstakes, in a regulatory decision that would aim to complement its legislation of online casinos.
Addressing policymakers in DC, Committee on Human Services Chair Matthew Frumin was damming in his condemnation of the sweepstakes sector.
He stated: “These platforms currently operate in the district without meaningful consumer safeguards or regulatory oversight, creating both health and financial risks for residents and limiting the district’s ability to respond to any potential issues of fraud or theft arising from them.
“This legislation establishes a comprehensive licensing framework, including a consumer protection plan, responsible gaming requirements, taxation, reporting, and an enforcement framework administered by the Office of Lottery and Gaming.”
