Oklahoma has for a long time been synonymous with Bingo. That’s because the Native bands of Oklahoma have operated Bingo sessions for generations. Clients from many of the neighboring states get in vehicles and travel into Oklahoma to play Bingo for the weekends.
The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was introduced after a landmark decision by The U.S. Supreme Court just the prior year. Since that time, twenty three of the thirty nine Native bands of Oklahoma have introduced bingo halls. The Chickasaw were the first Oklahoma American Indian band to take advantage of the gaming laws, and today control 10 casinos of their very own. Bingo is the game on which these casinos were built on. Electronic games such as slot machines weren’t approved, since they are believed to contribute to gambling addiction at a higher rate than bingo.
In the past few years, Oklahoma law has altered to permit big Amerindian gambling gambling halls. You’ll now see Indian casinos with slots, video poker and blackjack tables. Craps and roulette are still not allowed in the Indian gambling halls yet, although this is simply a matter of time. No one can determine whether having other gambling den games in the bingo parlors will do for the popularity of bingo.