State-by-state roll-out of sports betting and online gaming requires all of the new entrants to secure market access deals with the local stakeholders. In many large and therefore potentially lucrative states, those key stakeholders are Native American tribes.

Recent failures to pass sports betting in the state of California, due largely to the lack of understanding by the global commercial brands of the unique position, political clout and revenue goals of the tribes, made it even more poignant to engage with the tribes. Tribes are not against modernisation, innovation and expansion into new channels and verticals, as long as it doesn’t endanger their active involvement and participation in the future.

The ICE 2023 Tribal Gaming seminar drew lessons from the most recent successful and attempted roll-outs of sports betting and igaming to demonstrate the evolving tribal attitudes and educate on the regulatory models that are acceptable to them to move forward and build win-win partnerships.