This year’s Indian Gaming Association Tradeshow & Convention will be different. It’s the first gathering in years where former Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr., who died shortly before G2E in 2025, won’t be present. Sweepstakes and prediction markets loom as threats to tribal gaming.
And as always, tribal sovereignty is threatened.
During a CDC Roundtable, however, participants seemed optimistic that tribes will continue to thrive.
Skyelar Perkins, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts Senior Director of Slot Operations, said regarding the issues: “our sovereignty has always been threatened. Indian country remains strong.” He says despite Stevens’ passing, “there have been plenty of people fighting the good fight the whole time, along with him, who have learned from him, can take it in new directions, whatever they may be.
“So, I think some of that just is to be able to showcase that Indian country is not defined by any singular event or person or anything else.”
IGA March 30-April 2 in San Diego will gather tribes from across the country to promote and sustain tribal interests.
Kelli Weaver, CEO and Owner of KDW Consulting, said IGA is a way for tribes to marshal forces and unite, and to create economic sustainability for Indian nations.
“That is always going to remain the focus, and to remain sovereign,” Weaver said. “Anything that comes in gaming-wise that would jeopardize our sovereignty, we’re going to stand up to that and say, ‘hey, we’re not letting that in.’ That’s always been the goal is to protect our nations.”
Michelle Whaley, Director of Video Gaming at Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel in Idaho, noted that the health of tribes and the protection of sovereignty are common denominators that unite tribes.
“We’re all battling in the same field, just in different areas of the world,” Whaley said. “We kind of come together in a sense that, the more the more the merrier, right? So, creating that, I would say, is a commitment to ourselves, but to our community and to IGA as well, to see what the future will hold. And it’s up to us to define that as we move along.”
Perkins noted that Stevens’ effect and presence was so huge that other members might not have been as involved as they should have been. What is happening now is a changing of the guard that eventually would have occurred.
Perkins said that maybe a single voice will emerge to represent Indian country, or perhaps multiple leaders will arise.
“There’s more than enough people that have the same heart, that shared vision that (Stevens) had as well,” Perkins said. “It’s just that there won’t ever be another Ernie. But the thing is that within the same time frame here, soon enough we’re going to find out there’s never going to be another whatever, right? It’s like the next round is coming its way, that things cycle through. And I feel confident that there’s enough people in Indian country that there’s going to be those people that’ll be the next generation of what Indian gaming is.”
Whaley, who never met Stevens, said his influence is ongoing. What she knows of his legacy indicates that Indian country will survive, if not thrive.
“Learning about him and what he’s fought and what will we have continued to fight, it just kind of puts us in the sense of collaboratively coming together as Indian country and keeping those visions and commitments alive and challenging and moving forward, being resilient with hat comes our way to ensure that we can handle it and adapt where we can, but also keep that force at the forefront,” Whaley said.
Former IGA Vice Chairman David Z. Bean assumed the role of Chairman in late October. A member of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians in Washington state, Weaver is impressed that he’s passionate about his tribe and that he is a fisherman, a connection to the Puyallups.
Weaver, who recently spoke to Bean, noted that he’s business-like but also manages to project a sense of inclusivity.
“He really wants to have more tribes participating,” Weaver said. “Everyone’s always saying ‘we’re stronger together,’ and that’s true; when we’re united, we are a force. I have full faith that he will continue the efforts that were already there.
“But also it’s an opportunity to learn, to find out what more is needed from IGA for the tribes. How can (IGA) better assist – maybe it’s a land and a trust issue, maybe it is something the prediction markets that are going on. But I think he is there, ready to listen and definitely will to do the work.”