Oklahoma has long been analogous with Bingo. This is because the Indian bands of Oklahoma have run Bingo games for ages. Patrons from many of the neighboring states get in trucks and travel into Oklahoma to enjoy Bingo on the weekends.
The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) became law after a landmark decision by The U.S. Supreme Court the year prior. From that time, twenty three of the 39 Native bands located in Oklahoma have established gambling halls. The Chickasaw were the initial Oklahoma American Indian band to take advantage of the betting restrictions, and at this time control ten gambling halls of their very own. Bingo is the game on which these gambling halls were built on. Electronic games such as slot machines were not approved, due to the fact that they are thought to lead to gambling dependency at a higher rate than bingo.
In the past few years, Oklahoma rules have altered to allow for enormous Indian betting gambling halls. You will now find Native gambling dens with slot machines, video poker and twenty-one tables. Craps and roulette are not approved in the American Indian casinos yet, however this is simply a matter of time. Nobody can say what having other games in the bingo parlors will do for the popularity of bingo.