TexasCHLforum.com

I'm heading up to OK soon to stay overnight at one of their casinos. As a TX CHL I know there is reciprocity with OK, but I'm not clear on what to do with my gun when I get there. I looked at the OK self defense rule book, which has a prohibition about carrying in places that serve alcohol...but didn't see (or missed) anything specific to carry in casinos. I'd prefer to take my gun in and lock it up in a safe in my room if I can't carry it on me, but am not sure that I can even carry it indoors. I'd prefer not to leave a gun outside locked up in my car. Not taking a gun on a road trip doesn't sound like a good solution either.

Anyone know the rules for OK, and casinos?

Here are my specific questions:
1. Can I carry a concealed handgun into a casino
2. Can I carry a concealed handgun into a casino/hotel if I go upstairs and lock up my gun
3. Does the casino being on Native American land enter into the equation?

Blinking Dog wrote:1. Can I carry a concealed handgun into a casino
2. Can I carry a concealed handgun into a casino/hotel if I go upstairs and lock up my gun
3. Does the casino being on Native American land enter into the equation?

The OK law says no pari-mutual carry - the current Indian casinos do not have pari-mutual wagering (although the Choctaw do, or did, own a race track where it is pari-mutual wagering...). OK law also says no carry where the business obtains most of its income from alcohol consumption - again, the casinos are not there to provide primarily drink (they want your money instead). I would guess item 2 is moot if item 1 applies. As far as item 3, Indian land in OK is tribal trust land held by the BIA for the tribe's interest. It is not reservation lands. OK statutes apply, so I would guess (pending someone to tell me I'm wrong), carry in the OK casinos is perfectly legal. Never stopped me thus far...

Winstar World Casino, just North of Dallas, in Thackerville, OK, is clearly posted at the entrance "to the casino proper". No postings at entrance to property, just the building.

I've never been to to the Indian casinos up there but I would think that A) you would be ok to carry in to the hotel and up to your room and B) that it would be in you best interest(untill you find the truth) that you not carry in to the actual gambling area of the property.
If truly concearned just get a room at a nearby hotel, may ever be cheaper.
Also remember that concealed carry means verbally too, none of the staff need to know, so don't ask if it's ok. Just do your homework and if it's not posted then carry on.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

I was at Choctaw this past Saturday and they don't have a liquer license so there was not any alcohol there at all. I don't know if this was a recent change or not.

I did some more checking after I posted this morning, and found that the casinos in OK are on tribal lands, and on tribal lands tribal law is the rule (not state or federal regs). The folks at the OK dept that administers the OK CHL confirmed this. I then finally found a Choctaw Nation person who could fill me in on their rules...which as it turns out is absolutely no firearms on their lands. Not in the car, no where.

This is obviously a bummer for anyone who would want to go to their casino. I am going as part of a birthday celebration for a friend, and I'm going to honor the commitment, but frankly I am not sure that I'll ever go back.

Could this rule stem from some long standing distrust of the "pale face"?

Mack wrote:I was at Choctaw this past Saturday and they don't have a liquer license so there was not any alcohol there at all. I don't know if this was a recent change or not.

No liquor at a casino? Ack.

Blinking Dog wrote:I did some more checking after I posted this morning, and found that the casinos in OK are on tribal lands, and on tribal lands tribal law is the rule (not state or federal regs). The folks at the OK dept that administers the OK CHL confirmed this. I then finally found a Choctaw Nation person who could fill me in on their rules...which as it turns out is absolutely no firearms on their lands. Not in the car, no where.

This is obviously a bummer for anyone who would want to go to their casino. I am going as part of a birthday celebration for a friend, and I'm going to honor the commitment, but frankly I am not sure that I'll ever go back.

Could this rule stem from some long standing distrust of the "pale face"?

LOL...yeah, that Custer thing left a bad taste in their mouths for us. Did I read this correctly that they don't even allow concealed carry in the car? How in the heck can they monitor that one????

03Lightningrocks wrote:Did I read this correctly that they don't even allow concealed carry in the car? How in the heck can they monitor that one????

That's what the Choctaw Nation tribal folks said. No guns on their land, period. That means on your person, in your car, anywhere. I'm dumfounded. Didn't ask about a bow and arrows though...

Blinking Dog wrote:

03Lightningrocks wrote:Did I read this correctly that they don't even allow concealed carry in the car? How in the heck can they monitor that one????

That's what the Choctaw Nation tribal folks said. No guns on their land, period. That means on your person, in your car, anywhere. I'm dumfounded. Didn't ask about a bow and arrows though...

That means one either has to risk it, travel with no gun in there car all the way there or stop just before crossing their lands and hiding the gun under a bush somewhere. I am not sure how they can enforce such a law. You have to drive across Indian land to get across some areas of OK as you travel to other states and what not. That is worse than Kalifornia.At least in Kalifornia you can lock it in your trunk. I have traveled across indian lands and have violated that law somewhere around 5 gabillion times. I never knew it existed. I guess I will remember to keep my CHL in the wallet if pulled over there. I would not want to give them reason to ask if I am armed.

03Lightningrocks wrote:

Blinking Dog wrote:

03Lightningrocks wrote:Did I read this correctly that they don't even allow concealed carry in the car? How in the heck can they monitor that one????

That's what the Choctaw Nation tribal folks said. No guns on their land, period. That means on your person, in your car, anywhere. I'm dumfounded. Didn't ask about a bow and arrows though...

That means one either has to risk it, travel with no gun in there car all the way there or stop just before crossing their lands and hiding the gun under a bush somewhere. I am not sure how they can enforce such a law. You have to drive across Indian land to get across some areas of OK as you travel to other states and what not. That is worse than Kalifornia.At least in Kalifornia you can lock it in your trunk. I have traveled across indian lands and have violated that law somewhere around 5 gabillion times. I never knew it existed. I guess I will remember to keep my CHL in the wallet if pulled over there. I would not want to give them reason to ask if I am armed.

It could be worse than that. Is "tribal law" something agreed to by all the tribes or does each tribe have its own tribal laws?
It looks like there are lots of tribes in OK: http://www.native-languages.org/oklahoma.htm

I just called and asked Security and was told "That if I was a CHL I could keep it locked in the car”. He also made it sound like it the hotel might be ok, as he said "it’s not allowed in the Casino gaming area."

I even let him know I was told that it wasn't allowed on tribal land period and he asked for confirmation and he again said "if I have a CHL it is ok to be locked in the car on thier property".

The winstar is sorry anyway...you have to pay a per-hand ante...terrible math there.

And their pokerroom is great but has a terrible wait time. And nobody was spreading PLO when I went.

When carrying under a CHL I usually left my weapon in the car when.

Blinking Dog wrote:

03Lightningrocks wrote:Did I read this correctly that they don't even allow concealed carry in the car? How in the heck can they monitor that one????

That's what the Choctaw Nation tribal folks said. No guns on their land, period. That means on your person, in your car, anywhere. I'm dumfounded. Didn't ask about a bow and arrows though...

Many of the highways travel through "the nations", yet OK State Police are the ones that patrol it. I got stopped once and he didn't bat an eye. I dunno.

Interstates and county highways are still government property. No problems carrying on those.

Indian land is private and you must abide by their laws.