Bingo and Oklahoma: 2 Peas in a Pod
Oklahoma has for a long time been synonymous with Bingo. This is because the Native tribes of Oklahoma have run Bingo sessions for many years. Patrons from each of the neighboring states get in trucks and travel to Oklahoma to gamble on Bingo for the weekends.
The 1988 (IGRA) Indian Gaming Regulatory Act became law after a precedent setting ruling by The U.S. Supreme Court just the year before. From that time, twenty three of the 39 American Indian tribes of Oklahoma have established gaming halls. The Chickasaw were the 1st Oklahoma Native band to take advantage of the wagering rules, and at this time operate ten gambling dens of their own. Bingo was the game on which these gambling dens were built on. Electronic games like slot machines were not allowed, on the grounds that they are thought to lead to gambling problems at a higher rate than bingo.
In the past few years, Oklahoma law have changed to permit large Native betting gambling halls. You’ll now see Indian gambling halls with slot machine games, video poker and vingt-et-un tables. Craps and roulette are not approved in the Amerindian gambling dens as of yet, although this is just a waiting game. No one can say with whether having other games in the bingo houses will do for the appeal of bingo.
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