Oklahoma’s gaming bill will be formally signed into law today. The measure was approved last month by a vote of 52-47 in the House after having passed the Senate the week before. Neither victory was easy; closed door negotiations and heavy lobbying from some tribes and horse racing supporters marked the days leading up to the proposal's eventual approval.

At least one legislator was threatened for his opposition.

The bill allows state racetracks to operate the same types of games that Indian casinos do. A gaming compact tied into the proposal allows specific electronic games and some non-house bank card games to be played at the casinos.

The law, SB 553, will be signed at a ceremony in the State Capitol’s Blue Room at 1:30 p.m. Representatives from tribal governments, the horse racing industry and public education are expected to attend.

Governor Brad Henry was a major supporter of the plan, saying it provides needed financial relief to horse racing tracks and regulates Indian gaming. Some tribes, such as the Wewoka-based Seminole Nation, have incurred huge fines from the NIGC for offering illegal games. The Seminoles joined the Durant-based Choctaw Nation in lobbying heavily for the passage of the measure.

Henry touted the legislation as raising up to $71 million annually for education. Opponents, mainly Republican lawmakers, questioned those numbers, saying they were exaggerated.