How Sports Betting Revitalized Native American Tribes' Economies
Numerous tribes received a crucial economic lifeline thanks to arduous agreements for casinos. When sports betting became widely accepted, more people became interested in the gambling industry.
Seminole
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Tribe’s Influence on Sports Betting
For many Native American tribes, gaming has long been their primary source of revenue. The fast growth of online gambling and sports betting is now endangering that economic lifeblood in many areas of the nation. It was reported that tribal and commercial operators in MI reported $176.1 million in revenue for July 2023.
In other news, the long-awaited bill LD 585 was signed by Gov. Janet Mills, legalizing online sports betting in the state of Maine.
The influential Seminole tribe in Florida negotiated a lucrative agreement to provide sports betting solely in the state, only to have the agreement thwarted by a lawsuit by casino businesses.
One tribe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan reported a significant drop in gaming income in 2022 as a result of the unrest in the online betting industry.
After Florida's Seminole tribe launched a bingo hall in the early 1980s, tribal gaming gained traction as a way to compensate for severe federal budget cutbacks made to Native American tribes under the Reagan administration. The Supreme Court decided in 1987 that tribes may conduct gaming operations on their own territories.
Supreme Court’s Ban on Sports Betting Outside Nevada
Since then, 243 federally recognized tribes in 29 states have seen casino gaming grow into a $39 billion industry.
However, the Supreme Court invalidated a federal rule that forbade the majority of sports betting outside of Nevada in 2018. This led 32 states, including 22 states with tribal casinos, to legalize sports betting.
A combination of rapidly expanding online platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel and casino operators like Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International have flooded the market. To get favorable agreements in state capitals, businesses have sent out legions of lobbyists, showered politicians with gifts and campaign contributions, and sometimes dubious data.
As large casino businesses join the game, some tribes are seeing their money erode. In other cases, tribes are losing their advantageous position to benefit from the anticipated rise of online gaming in general.
National Indian Gaming Commission
The National Indian Gaming Commission was created in 1988 when Congress approved the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Compacts, sometimes known as agreements, were necessary for tribes to have with states in order to allow certain forms of gaming on their territories.
A 1993 agreement between Michigan and the Hannahville Indian Community and six other tribes gave them the exclusive rights to operate electronic change games.
The Hannahville tribe's 543 members became less reliant on government aid thanks to casino winnings. According to census statistics, today's typical household income of $40,000, which is slightly greater than half the national average, is higher than that of many Michigan tribes.
After the protests of the tribes, gambling was allowed to grow twice in Michigan: first in 1996 to allow commercial casinos in Detroit and once more in 2003 to allow gambling in bars and restaurants.
Then, in 2019, state authorities approved online betting for sports and other casino games including slots and blackjack with the support of major industry players. Although the deal was outside the scope of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the tribes were still permitted to participate but were treated similarly to non-tribal gaming businesses.