Does Tulsa want to become the new Las Vegas?

It seems that way as Tulsa area casinos keep growing as they invest perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars into bigger facilities and more gambling.

The Oklahoma Legislature, which is controlled by Republicans who campaigned as conservatives, approved the expansion of gambling in the state’s 130-plus casinos by permitting craps and roulette.  Oklahoma has the dubious distinction of being only second to Nevada in the number of casinos (Nevada has more than 300).

The Tulsa chamber is giddy over the prospects of more and more casino gambling. Why not? They get the city’s hotel/motel tax. The more suckers that travel here to gamble, the more taxpayer revenue that winds up in the coffers of the chamber.

The Osage Casino just spent $160 million to expand their gambling operation in near North Tulsa. The tribe, the chamber, Tulsa’s mayor and city councilors are extremely excited about the movement toward Las Vegas status. The local TV stations and the Tulsa World are ecstatic because they get so much ad revenue from the casinos, which they protect from bad publicity. It is there policy in news stories to call it “gaming” instead of “gambling.” Gaming sounds much more innocent.

The Hard Rock Casino (which originally was a Cherokee Casino) is expanding in Catoosa.

What is next for Tulsa’s gambling addiction?

Sports gambling.

Think of how much money would be bet if Tulsans could walk into a local casino and place a bet on the OU-Texas game or the OSU-Boise State contest.

No doubt that level of fiscal irresponsibility is coming.

When Oklahoma legalized casino gambling, promoters suggested that revenues would provide full funding for public education, the best medical care ever for the tribes, great jobs for casino workers and an end to tribal poverty. What are the odds of that happening?