Tribal Symposium at SBC SNA: Navigating Tribal Operations

The ‘Tribal Symposium’ is set to take place on the morning of Thursday, May 9th, the second core day of the leading iGaming and sports betting event in North America. Delegates can anticipate discussions around enhancing the success of the tribal sector, ensuring safe environments for land-based players and how tribal operators can navigate the current regulatory landscape.

Opening the symposium is the panel titled ‘Michigan: A Tribal Success Story,’ which will explore the success of tribal sports betting and iGaming in Michigan. Experts Denise Petoskey (Gaming Authority Vice-Chair, Odawa Casino Resort), Raquel Buari (Attorney & Casino Executive, Four Winds Casino), Matt Stemkoski (Primary Executive Official, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians), and Robert Russell (Gaming Analyst, Regulatory Management Counselors, PC), will discuss Michigan as the prime example for tribes in other jurisdictions, delve into effective launch strategies, and explore how to quantify the economic impact of the tribal sector and navigate the regulatory intricacies.

The Tribal Leaders panel, ‘Elevating Tribal Gaming: How Can the Industry Ensure This Sector Continues to Thrive?’ is set to explore the achievements of the tribal sector in the last quarter of a century and the strategies it can adopt to continue its prosperity. Tribal leaders Justin Barrett (Treasurer, Eastern Shawnee Tribe), Melinda Coffin (CEO, Soaring Eagle Gaming), and moderator Jamie Hummingbird (Chairman, NTGCR) will also dissect the factors that operators seeking partnerships with tribes must consider to better understand the different regulations that tribal nations abide by.

The panel titled ‘California Dreaming - Is There a Second Shot at 26 and 27?’ will delve into the current regulatory landscape in California, where two sports betting initiatives, both tribal and commercial, failed at the polls. Expert speakers Frank Sizemore (Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, FanDuel), Andrew Alejandre (Tribal Chairman,  Paskenta Band of Nomlaki), and moderator Jason Rosenberg (CEO, American iGaming Solutions), will evaluate the future of sports betting in the ‘Golden State,’ while also exploring the regulatory roadblocks and promises that need to be made and kept to ensure regulatory progress in the state.

Closing the symposium is the panel ‘Human Trafficking in Casinos: Identifying and Responding to Risk’, which will discuss strategies to ensure safety in land-based casinos. Industry expert George Jenkot (Vice-President of Security and Surveillance, Fire Keepers Casino Hotel) and moderator Jeanie Hovland (Vice-chair, NIGC), will examine the issue of human trafficking in casinos, explore the methods land-based operators can adopt to identify signs of human trafficking, and discuss effective frameworks for safeguarding players and facilitating safer gaming environments.

In addition, delegates will have the opportunity to glean invaluable insights into the North American market through dedicated industry tracks covering industry and growth, sports betting, payments and technology, compliance and regulation, leaders, affiliation and marketing, and iGaming.