Stitt previously claimed that the existing 15-year compacts with tribes in Oklahoma would not automatically renew for another 15 years. However, tribes such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Nations argued that these compacts were indeed automatically renewed in January. This view was supported by US District Court Judge Timothy DeGiusti during a hearing in July.
Upon announcing the ruling, DeGiusti stated that the compacts allowed for automatic renewal if non-tribal organizations were authorized to offer electronic gaming, excluding on-course pari-mutuel wagering. Stitt expressed his displeasure with the ruling initially, but he has now stated that he will not appeal against the decision.
In addition, the Governor mentioned that the ruling, along with the decision in the McGirt vs Oklahoma case, presents various challenges for the gambling market. The McGirt case determined that a significant portion of the eastern part of Oklahoma remains Native American lands.
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