Oklahoma Passes SB 1589 Banning Sweepstakes Casinos

Oklahoma has become the latest in a series of states that have implemented legislation to prohibit online sweepstakes casinos. Bill SB 1589, having passed the state Senate and House, now heads to Governor Kevin Stitt (R). The governor has five days to either sign the bill into law or veto it; should he take no action during this timeframe, the bill will become law without his signature.

What Does SB 1589 Do?

There’s not much fluff included within the text of SB 1589 – its total length amounts to no more than three typewritten pages, and that includes the space allotted for the signatures of the governor and other officials. The act will become effective Nov. 1, 2026.

Definitions

The heavy lifting is done by two definitions included in the bill. The one that most directly appears to refer to sweepstakes casinos is:

“Representative of value” includes any and all currency used as part of a dual-currency system of payment that allows a person to exchange such currency for any prize, award, cash, or cash equivalent, or any chance to win any prize, award, cash, or cash equivalent.

This language seems designed specifically to take aim at Global Poker, Stake.us, and other similar operators that attempt to use two forms of currency to circumvent anti-gambling laws. The legislature of Oklahoma has closed this loophole within its definitions.

The other definition added to the lawbooks by SB 1589 is “online casino game,” which is as follows:

“Online casino games” means any gambling game that allows a person to access the Internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way of a computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, computer terminal, or similar device including, but not limited to, a cellular or mobile telephone, a smart or electronic watch, or a tablet that, upon risking any representative of value, simulates any gambling game described in this section or any other form of gambling including, but not limited to, a slot machine as defined in Section 964 of this title, a lottery as defined in subsection A of Section 1051 of this title, a bingo game or U-PIK-EM bingo game as defined in paragraphs 1 and 22 of section 402 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes, or any prohibited game as described in ENR. S. B. NO. 1589 Page 2 subsection H of Section 262 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes.

This is pretty much what we understand online casino games to be; there aren’t really any surprises with this part of the law.

Prohibited Activities and Penalties

The next section of the bill adds online casino gaming to Oklahoma’s main pre-existing anti-gambling statute. It contains a carveout for gaming conducted on Indian lands in compliance with the relevant federal law perhaps paving the way for future tribal i-gaming to appear within the state. It also subjects to criminal penalty not only the owners and employees of companies offering such games but also affiliates, promoters, platform providers, and other suppliers.

Importantly, SB 1589 lumps traditional internet casinos in together with sweepstakes casinos, and they are both now against the law. Poker is specifically listed as a prohibited game too.

Anyone convicted of an infraction of this law will be guilty of a Class C2 felony. They’re subject to a fine of between $500 and $2,000 as well as imprisonment for up to seven years. Under OK law, those convicted of multiple criminal offenses can see the amount of prison time increase up to a maximum of 12 years for a C2 felony.

More About Sweepstakes Casinos

The original online sweepstakes casino of the type we’re discussing is Chumba Casino. It uses a system of Gold Coins, which are the play money that users purchase, and Sweeps, which is given for free with Gold Coin Purchases. Customers can use Sweeps to play casino games and potentially win prizes.

Because individuals don’t directly pay for Sweeps but rather receive them for free with the purchase of Gold Coins, playing games for prizes with Sweeps amounts to a kind of sweepstakes rather than gambling. Or so the argument goes.

When Chumba Casino originated this line of reasoning in 2012, it was an innovative argument that seemed to get around gambling laws in all 50 states. However, it has been copied by many other operators over the years, and it has started to run afoul of the authorities. Even in some states that do not explicitly ban sweepstakes casinos outright, officials contend that existing gambling statutes make them illegal.

Besides Chumba, other prominent names in sweepstakes gambling include Global Poker (Chumba’s sister site), Stake.us, McLuck, and High 5 Casino. They and their peers could all see their business disrupted by the new Oklahoma law.

Legislative History

SB 1589 had three sponsors in the Oklahoma Legislature: State Senator Todd Gollihare, State Representative Kyle Hilbert, and State Representative Scott Fetgatter, all Republicans. It was introduced to the Senate Jan. 13, 2026 and had its first reading on Feb. 2. It then proceeded through various committees before passing with a unanimous 48 – 0 vote on March 2.

Then on March 3, the bill started its progress through the House. After several committee hearings, it reached its third reading, which passed 65 – 21 on May 4. It then headed to the governor’s desk the following day.

Governor Stitt has five days from that day to act on the bill by either vetoing it or signing it into law. Should he fail to do either within the prescribed amount of time, SB 1589 will become law without his signature.

Kevin Stitt, Governor of Oklahoma

Other States Cracking Down

Oklahoma is just one of a number of states that have recently passed anti-sweepstakes legislation. Tennessee’s SB 2136 does much the same as Oklahoma’s bill. Iowa’s bill (Senate File 2289) not only targets online sweepstakes casinos but empowers the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission with broader powers to tackle illegal gambling of all kinds. Louisiana has meanwhile passed HB53, which would treat sweepstakes casinos as a type of racketeering subjecting violators to penalties of up to 50 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million. All of these states are awaiting their governors’ signatures to turn their anti-sweeps legislation into the law of the land.

They thus hope to join the handful of states that have already passed laws against online sweepstakes casinos. This year already, Maine and Indiana have made similar moves. In 2025, New York, New Jersey, and several other states enacted legislation to prohibit sweeps casinos.

Online Poker Still Available in Oklahoma

Regardless of whether Governor Stitt signs the new anti-sweepstakes law or vetoes it, there’s a group of online poker sites that will remain unaffected. These are offshore poker rooms, located abroad, that neither fuss about with unusual sweepstakes models nor concern themselves with the technicalities of Oklahoma law. Indeed they’re beyond the reach of the authorities in Oklahoma City and, for that matter, those in Washington, D.C. too.

We feel that Ignition Poker is the best of these internet poker sites that accept customers from Oklahoma. It will give you a 150% up to $1,500 poker bonus on your first deposit, and another bonus for casino gaming. Click the button below to get started:

To learn more about this online cardroom before signing up, check out this comprehensive Ignition Casino Poker review. For other Oklahoma-friendly internet poker providers, take a look at this guide to OK online poker. If you reside elsewhere in the country, then perhaps this page devoted to offshore poker in the USA would be more your speed.

May 10, 2026 – by Max Golden, Editor-in-Chief