Oklahoma State and the Iowa Native American tribe are nearing an agreement to allow the tribe to launch a real money online poker site and accept players wherever it is legal to play. The two parties were requested to hand over an agreement by April 15th by US District Court Judge David Russel after which he will either make a decision or ask for further information.
The saga has been going on for several months. After a ruling in November 2015, The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma launched the PokerTribe.com website, becoming the first federally recognized tribe in the State of Oklahoma to launch an international online casino.
In September 2015, The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma took the dispute to arbitration, where former Criminal Court of Appeals Judge Charles Chapel was appointed. Reviewing the matter for more than 2 months, Judge Charles Chapel ruled on November 24, 2015 that increasing tribal revenues using technology would not restrict or extend the scope of the said games and that this would not alter the tribe’s compact with the State of Oklahoma.
To that end, PokerTribe.com will be available to players on a global level, including those from the USA, on your desktop, laptop, iPad, and mobile devices. It will also be available for mobile download at the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android. Additionally, there will be a selection of airlines and cruise ships that will provide passengers with access to online gambling at PokerTribe.com.
The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma will be required to pay the State of Oklahoma a percentage of their generated revenue from PokerTribe.com. The percentage will be determined by the volume of traffic to the online casino.
Currently, even though the website is up and running, it is still under construction. The games are not yet available, and the registration for signups is not yet active. One thing you can do from the website is subscribe to the newsletter.
The ruling on November 24, 2015 found that The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s plan to launch the online gaming website, according to the Oklahoma Tribal-State Gaming Compact, was not in violation of federal or state laws. The ruling will also allow other State of Oklahoma tribes to start online casinos consistent with the decision and Compact.
There are 800 registered Iowa Indians within the small tribal community, and tribal jurisdiction covers the areas of four counties in the State of Oklahoma, including Payne County, Oklahoma County, Lincoln County, and Logan County. The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma has their own constitution and bylaws, with many aspects of tribal government.
The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma runs various tribal enterprises including three land-based casinos within their jurisdiction, and have their own tribal police and fire department. The tribe is the largest employer in the area, with more than 160 employees. Their headquarters are located 3 miles south of Perkins, Oklahoma.
