Online Poker For Oklahoma Tribe

Online Poker For Oklahoma Tribe

Thursday, 31 December 2015

A small Native American tribe could soon launch an online casino offering players in multiple jurisdictions a range of real-money poker games along with baccarat, bingo, blackjack and slots.

According to a report from The Oklahoman newspaper, the Iowa Tribe Of Oklahoma hopes to debut its new PokerTribe.com gaming website in 2016 and has already inked an exclusive software licensing deal with Florida software firm Universal Entertainment Group.

Based in the small town of Perkins, the Iowa Tribe Of Oklahoma has about 800 members and last week asked a US District Court Judge in Oklahoma City to certify an earlier ruling from an independent arbitrator that its proposed online venture would not violate federal or state laws under the Oklahoma Tribal-State Gaming Compact. The arbiter, retired judge Charles Chapel, wrote in his November 24 decision that the ‘use of the Internet is merely using technology to play covered games as a way to increase tribal revenues [and] it does not extend or restrict the scope of the games and does not amend the Compact in any way.”

Isaias Almira from Universal Entertainment Group revealed that the new site would be available to players in American states that already permit online gambling such as New Jersey and Nevada as well as to those in international markets and on cruise ships and airline flights.

“If the judge agrees to the thing, it could be launched within a matter of weeks,” said Almira.

“I and our entire team have been working on this for many years.”

Michael McNutt, a spokesman for Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, declared that the arbitrator’s ruling could open up the way for other Oklahoma aboriginal tribes to launch similar international gaming ventures although it remains unclear how much tax operators would be required to pay to the state.

“The rate depends on how many take part in the tribe’s overseas gaming venture,” said McNutt.



Tags: Iowa Tribe Of Oklahoma, PokerTribe.com, Isaias Almira, Universal Entertainment Group, Michael McNutt, Mary Fallin