One year and a half has passed without any in-person gaming show in the U.S. It seemed such a long, long time. But this week that wait ended, with the realization of the 35th edition of the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention. For this special occasion, it wasn’t just the premier event for the Indian Gaming industry, but a key moment for each and every of the 5,000+ gaming executives that attended the fair, that took place at the Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Of course, the organizer, National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), offered a safe and productive show, strictly following both the CDC Guidelines and the Clark County, Nevada COVID-19 protocols. Only fully vaccinated individuals were able to not wear masks. About the results of this 4-day event (from July 19th to 22nd), Ernie Stevens, Jr., Chairman and national spokesperson for NIGA, stated: “It has been too long since Indian Country has gathered together and conducted business in person. This week, we have presented all essential aspects of the business that attendees have come to expect, including the annual membership meeting, workshops, the gaming commissioner certification series and the Chairman’s honoring luncheon. The conference sessions were available for all attendees at multiple host venues. We are proud of successfully having organized the first large gathering of Tribal leaders and casino executives in the country in more than a year. We were also happy to meet again with partners, clients, colleagues and friends. I believe this event has made a major statement that our Indian gaming industry is back and safely open for business.”
MAIN ACTIVITIES
A US$30 billion industry, tribal gaming is a growing sector in the economy of the tribes and of the entire country. The event included keynotes, educational sessions and trainings, associations’ reunions, a product exhibition floor, and a space for Native American arts and crafts. There were also awards ceremonies, dinners, meetings y receptions.
In terms of main topics, sessions covered issues such as “The Future of Gambling: A Conversation with the Innovators”; “Casino Operations in a Post-Pandemic Environment: Where Do We Go from Here?”; “The Future of Sports Betting Tech and Regulations”; “Tribal Sports Betting: Meet the New Stakeholders”; “A Deep Dive into Tribal Sports Betting”; “Roadmap to Sportsbook Success: How Choctaw Did it in 90 Days”; “Casinos and the Digital Revolution: A New Way of Doing Business”; “Going Cashless: Digital Wallets for Gaming and Beyond”, and “The Marketing of Influence”, among others. Most relevant themes were sports betting, online gambling, Tribal-State compacting, post-pandemic recovery, gaming operations, cashless and digital technologies and federal legislative advocacy.
An important panel was “The Evolution of Women in Tribal Gaming.” Different female executives shared their experiences on adversities they had to face, current situation, with more opportunities available for women in tribal gaming, and the need to continue battling for equal, fair treatment for women in comparison to men.
Besides the conferences, there was an interesting exhibition floor, with products and services from some of the strongest providers of the industry. For instance, on Booth 1323 there was Aristocrat Gaming. This well-known manufacturer presented attendants some of its most popular titles. Visitors could take a closer look to Class II games like Wild Wild Buffalo and Game of Thrones King’s Landing (both on Neptune Double cabinet), and Buffalo Link (on the new MarsX Portrait cabinet). There were also amazing Class III games such as Buffalo Instant Hit and Grand Bars on the RELM five-reel cabinet. Moreover, Aristocrat booth showcased the company’s cashless wallet and a suite of loyalty products.
A PROMISING FUTURE
The main focus of the show was to analyze Native American economic success. In parallel to the NIGA’s Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) hosted in the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino the Reservation Economic Summit (RES). Both entities have the same goal: to protect and preserve the general welfare of Tribes striving for self-sufficiency in Indian Country.
Looking at current and future trends, tribal governments are operating today sports wagering in more than a half-dozen states (Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania) and are set to launch in Arizona and Washington. Equally, mobile sports betting is coming to New York, while the Seminole Tribe of Florida has signed a compact that, if approved by the federal government, will put the tribe in charge of sports wagering across the state. Connecticut and Wisconsin are poised for tribal sports betting as well. California will have a referendum on the 2022 ballot to approve sports betting at tribal casinos and horse tracks. Oklahoma may have legislation next year.
With all of these positive perspectives, and after two years, the return of the Indian Gaming Tradeshow was great news for the industry as a whole. This event, as well as future Global Gaming Expo (October 4-7th, at Sands Expo in Las Vegas), represent the meeting place in the U.S. where the gaming community gathers to learn, network and exchange industry-specific ideas, and a cultural celebration of success, strength and self-reliance, after recent dark times.