Ball and dice games coming into Oklahoma tribal casinos

Back in April, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed H.B. 3375 into law, a bill which will change the state’s gambling landscape. This new law will allow the state’s casinos to start offering ‘ball-and-dice’ games, such as craps and roulette; gaming options which were prohibited previously.

The shift reportedly suits the state, teachers and also the tribe, as it will offer significant revenues for instruction, while also helping tribal venues bring in more. Cherokee Nation Entertainment Chief Operating Officer, Mark Fulton, commented in the Tahlequah Daily Press, saying that “all parties appear to be winners,” with the passage of the bill. Fulton further said:

“It’s something the clients are demanding, it will clearly provide some incremental revenue back to the tribes via their casino operations, and the state and teachers are receiving additional funding, as well. I think that it’s one of these chances that came to fruition where all parties actually genuinely gain from it.

The tribes that operate casinos in the state currently pay exclusivity fees based on the Class III games they provide courtesy of their tribal-state compact. For the 2017 fiscal year, near $134 million was supplied with the tribes.

Games similar to roulette and craps are available today at Cherokee casinos however they are not played in the standard format. The games are card-based and absent will be  the dice and roulette wheel found in the conventional offerings. According to Fulton, the conventional form of the games will probably be set up in the casinos which currently provide table games. This Includes the Hard Rock Casino in Tulsa, Roland and West Siloam Springs.

Tribes will have to wait a total of 90 days from the day the invoice was signed for the law to take effect before proceeding ahead with these kinds of games. Cherokee Nation gaming commission manager, Jamie Hummingbird, reportedly said that he is working to make sure that regulations are set up before  H.B. 3375 getting law.