By Damian Martinez, journalist at G&M News.
For over 20 years, you have been working in different positions related to Tribal Affairs. What were the key lessons that you learned during this time?
My main lessons were witnessing the diversity of each Tribal Nation, the uniqueness of their governance structure and constitution, culture, language, and customs. Even in my home state of South Dakota, where we have nine Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Tribal Nations, each are unique sovereign Nations. This is why I strongly support community-driven ideas and solutions to advocate for flexibility in policies and regulations that fit the needs of the community for each sovereign Tribal Nation.
Almost three years ago, you were appointed as Vice Chair at the National Indian Gaming Commission. What are your responsibilities in the role?
In May 2024, I was reappointed for another three-year term by the Honorable Secretary Deb Haaland. My role as Vice Chair remains to regulate and ensure the integrity of the more than 500 Indian gaming facilities, associated with over 250 tribes across 29 states. To carry out these responsibilities, it is required to have a steady flow of communication across our agency’s department offices with tribes and gaming regulators. Outreach allows me the opportunity to see firsthand gaming operations and to meet with and hear directly from tribal leadership and regulators.
The gaming revenue for Fiscal Year 2022 was the highest in Indian gaming history. How do you evaluate the performance in recent years?
Over the last fiscal years, we have observed continued growth, and the Gross Gaming Revenue serves as a testament to the success of tribes and their gaming enterprises. Tribes are leaders and experts in the gaming industry, and they continue to adapt to consumer demands while navigating often difficult negotiations with states, upholding the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and NIGC regulations, and keeping pace with technological evolution.
Indian gaming’s success usually impacts on other aspects of the economy. What are the benefits that these positive figures had to the surrounding communities and regional economies?
Many tribes have reinvested gaming revenues to diversify their economic development portfolio through creating local businesses to meet community needs, such as grocery and convenience stores, shopping centers, movie theatres, all of which also helps the dollar to be spent in the community verses outside communities. Tribes have used gaming revenues to create businesses to drive the local economy, such as tourism programs, cultural and historical centers, etc. Some tribes use their gaming revenues for important programs vital to creating and sustaining a safe community, like law enforcement and first responder services, health care, substance intervention and prevention programs, housing, and other community services. Gaming revenues are also used to preserve tribes’ cultural identity through revitalization of their native languages, intergenerational ceremonies, and support for agricultural initiatives. Most recently, I have seen tribes using their gaming revenues to establish community-driven taskforces on preventing human trafficking and raising awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). For example, some tribal gaming enterprises have very advanced technology that assists in deterring, detecting, and tracking criminal activities in their facilities. Some tribes have been asked to assist with investigating and documenting criminal activities in the tribal and the surrounding communities because their gaming enterprise has the most advanced technology in the area.
Which are the main demands from the Tribal gaming operators?
I believe advances in technology and ensuring its use is adequately protecting the integrity of tribal gaming assets for gaming sustainability.
What do you think about the contribution of tribes to the growth of the gaming sector?
On my recent visits to Tribal Nations, I continue to be impressed by how resilient and creative tribes are in meeting customer demands. Some are in very urban, highly populated areas, where tribes have created large gaming operations with several dining, shopping, and entertainment options on-site. Other tribes have very rural and smaller operations, and have created outdoor, family-centered, recreational opportunities. What I find unique and so valuable is that all tribal gaming operations I have visited incorporate the culture and history of their tribes. It really is a great way to educate the greater public on who we are as Native people. It’s been so inspiring to see how tribes really have changed the landscape of the gaming industry.
How are you planning to achieve your goals for 2024?
I look forward to working with the Commission, alongside Acting Chair Sharon Avery, and tribes on NIGC regulations or other topics to consider for consultation. I will continue my outreach with tribes that have a gaming enterprise that our agency regulates, meet with their regulators, and see their operations. This is key to understanding how our regulations can support the integrity and success of tribal gaming. Besides, NIGC will continue our work with the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Office of Justice Services to provide training to help safe tribal communities and their gaming and hospitality industry. Through these trainings, we have seen how the tribal gaming industry positively impacts the prosperity of their people, as well as the protection of tribal members, communities, and patrons that visit their gaming enterprises. Additionally, I will also collaborate with the agency’s efforts to highlight workforce development in the tribal gaming industry. With tribal gaming often being the main employer in tribal communities, the local workforce is comprised primarily of their community members. The gaming industry provides a variety of jobs and career paths right in the local community that contribute to the economic independence and prosperity of the tribal people.
