An Oklahoma-based tribe continues positioning itself to get a piece of potential Texas sports betting action.
Choctaw Casinos & Resorts announced last week that it has partnered with the Dallas Open, an ATP Tour event. The official casino and resort partnership includes branded hospitality spaces in the venue and naming rights to other tournament elements, including VIP boxes and player entrances.
The partnership comes as lawmakers are set to consider Texas sports betting in 2025. While the discussion will heat up, potential passage faces plenty of roadblocks.
Choctaw-Dallas Open partnership
The Dallas Open elevates to ATP 500 status in 2025 as it moves to the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.
With the new partnership, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts will roll out the Choctaw Club at the Ford Center. It will include free-to-play table games and curated food and beverages. The tribal entity will also have a public hospitality area that offers fans interactive entertainment.
“Partnering with the Dallas Open, the region’s premier tennis event, allows us to further showcase the elevated Choctaw experience,” Choctaw Nation Senior Executive Officer Heidi Grant said in a release. “We are proud to bring our premium hospitality offering to tennis fans and strengthen our presence in North Texas sports and entertainment.”
Choctaw Texas presence
The Oklahoma-based tribe has a casino 90 miles north of Dallas. While sports betting is likely still a ways off in Texas, Choctaw Nation is setting up to be a player should it open.
Choctaw Casinos & Resorts has partnered with multiple professional sports organizations in Texas, including the Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars.
It also rebranded Globe Life Park, home of the UFL’s Arlington Renegades, to Choctaw Stadium.
Choctaw Texas sports betting hopes?
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the third-largest Indian Nation in the US. While Sooner State legislators will consider sports betting in 2025, its potential pales compared to the Texas market.
A recent estimate suggests that Texas could be the largest sports betting market in the US, and it appears the Choctaw Nation is positioning to grab a piece of it with the Texas partnerships.
Earlier this year, the tribe signed a partnership with Kambi. That partnership was made with “the ambition to become an online and retail sports betting powerhouse.”
