U.S. tribal gaming warns against predictive markets after hitting $46.2 billion
The Indian Gaming Association calls for unity in the face of contracts on sporting events that it considers a threat to the sovereignty and income of tribal communities.
David Z. Bean, president of the Indian Gaming Association, has once again pointed to predictive markets as one of the main threats to American tribal gaming, in a statement released on November 3 on the occasion of Native American Heritage Month and Election Day.
Bean warns especially about contracts linked to sports results, the commercialization of which through prediction platforms he considers detrimental to the regulatory competences and rights of tribal nations.
The warning comes after tribal gaming reached $46.2 billion in gross revenue in fiscal year 2025, a 5.3% growth from the previous year. The activity comprises 545 establishments operated by 246 tribes in 29 states.
According to Bean, these revenues support hundreds of thousands of jobs and fund essential services, including education, healthcare, housing, and cultural preservation.
The president of the association insists on the need to coordinate the response of tribal governments, regulators and representative organizations to defend their sovereignty and economic interests.
In his message, Bean also calls for the electoral participation of indigenous communities and recalls that political decisions directly affect their rights, their autonomy and the future of tribal play.
