Sports betting markets have already been established in 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. But a California tribal leader says the sports betting model in his state will be like nothing done before in the United States.
Speaking on a panel at the recent Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on tribal sovereignty and sports betting, California Nations Indian Gaming Association Chairman James Siva said:
“We’ve watched what tribes in other states have done, but looking at the unique setup of California, we’re going to come up with something that is going to be a brand new framework for this because that’s the only way it’s going to work in California.”
Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, Rebecca George, executive director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association, and Andy Platto, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, joined Siva on the panel.
California tribes will innovate with sports betting model
Siva previously told PlayUSA that California tribal leaders will begin meeting in a workgroup this month to craft future California online sports betting legislation.
The framework formed by the workgroup eventually will serve as the basis for a ballot initiative filed ahead of the 2026 or 2028 election.
There’s a good reason why the California model will be unique in the nation. In addition to the exclusivity, tribal leaders from each state represented on the panel will seek for online sports betting, California needs to find a way to make the framework work for 109 federally recognized tribes.
“For sports betting, California is so big,” Siva said. “There’s tribes operating massive facilities and tribes not offering any facilities, geographic differences, population, membership, all these things. So in California, we’ve really had to start thinking outside the box.”
Siva stressed that the key for tribes is to work together to develop a plan that benefits them all.
“We’ve learned our lessons,” Siva said. “We know exactly what to do. We have to communicate, have to make sure every single tribe in California benefits from this, protect what we built, and continue to set the future to grow. That’s how we’re going to handle sports betting.”
Siva added that the California model will build off existing frameworks but feature key innovations.
“I think we’re going to take bits and pieces of other models we’ve seen in other states, lessons learned, different concepts, but what’s going to come out of California is going to be something new and unique.”
Minnesota tribal representative optimistic about 2025
Minnesota tribes reached a deal that should have seen sports betting legalized this year.
However, politics got in the way.
“In the final few days of session we had a pretty major breakthrough,” Platto said. “Our authors and all major stakeholders at the time … agreed to support or be neutral on very specific framework. This includes all tribes, the state’s two horse tracks, Minnesota charities and vets organizations. Without a doubt, this is as close as we’ve ever come to ending this issue.”
Partisan bickering at the end of the session didn’t allow any bills requiring bipartisan support to pass.
“As we saw in last session in Minnesota earlier this year, other non-gaming, very partisan issues dominated the end of session,” Platto said. “Which made any kind of bipartisan cooperation to pass a sports betting bill impossible.”
Platto said he thinks Minnesota will legalize online sports betting through tribes next year. But he admits the deal struck this year could still blow up by the time the legislature next takes up the issue.
“Optimistically, a year from now at G2E, I hope and believe it’s quite possible that we will have ended the sports betting prohibition in Minnesota with a bill that’s tribally exclusive, that respects tribal sovereignty and ensures that every tribe gets a benefit regardless of their ability to garner market share.”
Oklahoma sports betting likely years away
Essentially, Oklahoma hasn’t legalized sports betting yet because tribes are at odds with the state’s governor.
Morgan said tribes are interested in sports betting only if they have exclusivity. However, Gov. Kevin Stitt wants to give national online operators untetethered access to the state.
Tribes are willing to wait out Stitt’s last two years in office to start Oklahoma sports betting talks with a new governor.
“If Oklahoma is going to move forward on sports betting, there’s a really easy path,” Morgan said. “It’s really simple. I think tribes will be in favor of it. But if that’s not the path chosen, we’ll continue to play defense over the next year or two under this administration and watch the surrounding states and what they do. Because regional influence is always going to affect our pockets as well.”
Washington tribes beginning to discuss online sports betting
Washington legalized in-person sports betting at 29 tribal casino properties in 2020.
George told PlayUSA that Washington tribes have yet to begin discussing an online sports betting framework. While those discussions could heat up soon, she doesn’t expect any legislative effort in 2025.
“We’re studying it, understanding the industry, understanding the players, getting our arms around what does it mean, what does the Seminole case mean for Washington,” George said. “In Washington, we would have to take it back to our state legislature. … So right now we’re just coming together tribally and having those discussions on, if we move forward, what it can look like.”
Online casino on minds of tribal representatives
Even if California tribes pursue sports betting first, Siva indicated an understanding that the model tribes create for sports betting will directly impact the future of possible California online casinos.
“What we’ve learned is this whole discussion, at least in California, is that sports betting really isn’t about sports betting,” Siva said. “This whole conversation is about how the entry of that new form of gaming into the market is going to affect the entry of iGaming into the California market down the road. So everything we talk about sports betting, it’s really that forte for the full iGaming conversation that’s to come.”
Platto added that Minnesota online casinos are on the minds of tribes while they work to create an exclusive online market for sports betting.
“We’re not necessarily moving iGaming forward at this time, but setting that exclusive precedent in the mobile market in sports betting is so important for the future of iGaming in the state. And that is one of the main key benefits to a number of tribes, as they see it.”