Per the NIGC , there are currently more than 200 recognized tribes with gaming operations , across a total of 29 states . max payout of 32-to-1 . The platform can be licensed out and branded to each individual tribe , and could potentially be the only game in town for several years , given that commercial bookmakers will likely not make another push at statewide legalization until 2026 at the earliest .
“ It is important that any tribe does understand online gaming as best as they can when gaming is the lifeblood of infrastructure , education , support services and government in many places .”
— Seth Young , Chief Operating Officer , FSG Digital ; Founding Partner , GMA Consulting
frastructure , education , support services and government in many places .”
When choosing a path to pursue , various options present themselves that also come with important questions attached , and one of the unique traits of tribal gaming is the fact that each tribe has its own voice and preferences . As Young notes , each group must decide if they want to be B2C operators , B2B suppliers , investors , owners or sub-licensers . In some cases , regulatory hurdles limit those options , but even so , there have been examples of innovative and successful investments in new verticals .
In November 2022 , Boyd Gaming completed its acquisition of Pala Interactive , a North America-focused iGaming software provider that was owned and founded by the Pala Band of Mission Indians , for a total consideration of $ 170 million . At last year ’ s Global Gaming Expo , the Poarch Band of Creek Indians ’ Casinoverse fantasy gaming app took home the gold medal for Best iGaming Product in GGB ’ s annual Gaming & Technology Awards .
More recently , the Seminole Tribe unleashed mobile sports betting in Florida via Hard Rock Bet last December after many months of legal challenges from parimutuel operators in the state — its hub-and-spoke model , which posits that bets placed outside of tribal lands are processed via tribal servers , are still compliant under IGRA , and could potentially spread to other jurisdictions if ultimately upheld .
California ’ s Chicken Ranch Tribe of Me-Wuk Indians also showcased some ingenuity with its launch of PlaySqor in late February , a mobile , onpremise sports betting product built on Class II math developed in partnership with Vetnos . Rather than traditional Class III sports betting platforms that offer various bets on outcomes of games , props , futures , etc ., PlaySqor mirrors daily fantasy pick ’ em contests where bettors must pick who will have the better performance between two individual athletes .
A total of nine matchups are then placed in a tic-tac-toe style board , with the payouts varying based on correct picks and their placement on the grid . A complete board with correct picks and placement would garner a
Per the NIGC , there are currently more than 200 recognized tribes with gaming operations , across a total of 29 states . max payout of 32-to-1 . The platform can be licensed out and branded to each individual tribe , and could potentially be the only game in town for several years , given that commercial bookmakers will likely not make another push at statewide legalization until 2026 at the earliest .
For Young , new online products like PlaySqor represent “ fascinating new innovation ,” but such developments should be viewed as a necessity , not a luxury .
“ So many things can happen , but the upshot here is that tribes that are not considering what online gaming will look like for them may have an issue in the future when all of the commercial gaming interests continue to push and push and push ,” he asserts . “ We ’ ve seen Michigan come up with an interesting market structure to blend tribal and commercial . Same with Arizona . I think it ’ s a matter of when , not if . So it is quite important to consider these initiatives as part of your growth plans .”
The high level of saturation in the U . S . gaming market as a whole also makes international expansion an attractive option for the first time ever ; perhaps the chief example of recent intrigue is the Mohegan Tribe ’ s opening of its Inspire integrated resort in Incheon , South Korea in early March . In addition to gaming , the property ’ s amenities include a multi-purpose arena with a capacity of 15,000 , MICE facilities complete with the largest ballroom in the country , and a litany of luxury dining and retail offerings .
Full-scale projects like these , Szybala argues , are a reminder that tribal operators are now fully on the level of their commercial cohorts , with the resources and expertise to secure big victories .
“ You name any major market , and I can assure you that a tribe is going to be pursuing it just as every commercial operator ’ s going to pursue the major markets ,” he contends . “ That ’ s where some of these tribal gaming corporations are in terms of their size and pedigree . They ’ re willing to go to bat against the big commercial operators , as they should be .”
Since the very onset of the industry , the goal of establishing and ultimately diversifying business ventures has been secondary to maintaining tribal sovereignty , and that will continue to be true regardless of fads or emerging trends . This of course is nothing new to tribes who have faced this pressure for countless generations , but the emergence and evolution of gaming has changed the game , and in many ways leveled the playing field . The U . S .— and increasingly , the world — is their economic oyster , and onlookers will be all too curious to see where they choose to invest next .
“ We are very much focused on being good community partners and having that positive view of our industry ,” Siva says . “ As we look forward to the expansion of gaming , at the end of the day , it will be about defending our sovereignty , and tribes will be willing and are willing , and in the future we ’ ll continue to fight in any way we need to defend that .”
16 TRIBAL GOVERNMENT GAMING 2024