US held new sports betting debates at NIGA

A panel at the latest Indian Gaming Tradeshow addressed the legislative and strategic options over sports betting among tribes.

US.- Clarion’s Ewa Bakun, Head of Industry Insight and Engagement and the person behind the launch of the Sports Betting USA conference last year in New York, led the expert panel discussion at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow last Friday, April 20th.

Having monitored the evolution of the sports betting debate in the United States since the early days of the New Jersey challenge, Ewa has a unique insight into the evolving positions of all key stakeholders. Through her engagement with both international and US organisations at the intersection of sports and gaming, she provided the broader context in which tribal decisions on lobbying and strategic positions should be taken.

The panel led by Ewa featured a diverse roster of panellists, including Dan Wallach, shareholder in the law firm Becker & Poliakoff; Dan Spillane, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at the National Indian Gaming Association; Steve Bodmer, General Counsel at Pechanga Tribal Government; Aurene Martin, Managing Partner at Spirit Rock Consulting; and Debbie Thundercloud, Chief of Staff at the National Indian Gaming Association.

The discussion highlighted legislative and strategic options so that the tribes can position themselves to take advantage of their unique political standing, using sports betting opportunities to grow their revenues and keep giving back to their communities. Looking beyond the hype, panellists were asked to take a realistic view of the sports betting potential for tribes in a range of regulatory scenarios.