Matthew L. Morgan, Chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, spoke to iGaming Expert about the importance of understanding that each tribe is “unique” and the opportunity of iGaming will be viewed differently by each.
Morgan was speaking ahead of this week’s SBC Summit Americas, which takes place in Florida and comes at a crucial time for the industry.
iGaming Expert: What steps do you believe tribal gaming is taking to further grow its legacy into a new era of gaming?
Matthew Morgan: Tribal gaming operators are constantly seeking innovation and advancement. Our primary focus is to provide our customers with entertainment experiences in a safe and regulated environment.
A significant aspect of our responsibilities involves identifying innovative ways to engage our guests, whether through new technologies, novel or reimagined gaming offerings, such as the expansion of Class II gaming in exciting ways, new restaurant concepts, or the introduction of the latest amenities, spa offerings, and more at resort hotels.
iGX: What are the key steps you would advise operators to take to ensure they have strong collaborations with the tribal sector?
MM: Knowing your audience is important for any operator. Each tribe is unique, and though there are common business and philanthropic goals shared by many, every tribe has its own governmental structures, history, culture and economic development priorities. Tribal gaming is not a cookie-cutter industry. In Oklahoma, we have 140+ Tribal gaming operations – these range from an annexe to a gas stop to full-scale resort casinos.
Multiple gaming properties operated by a single tribe may have vastly different audiences and needs from one another based on the geographic location of property, available amenities, competitor proximity, target customer demographic and average customer spend.
iGX: What type of opportunity do you believe iGaming presents for the tribal sector?
MM: For some tribes, new offerings like iGaming might be a great addition to their suite of entertainment options. Other tribes may determine that iGaming is not a fit for their audience or business model.
Whether a new offering is iGaming or something else, it must either fall within existing legal parameters, or it must move through appropriate tribal, state and federal legal and regulatory approvals to become legalised. Each tribal jurisdiction is different. New gaming opportunities and offerings, just like other new amenities such as restaurant concepts, golf courses and so on, are evaluated by each tribe’s leadership on its own merits. Any proposed new or modified gaming or amenity offering must make sound economic sense for everyone involved.
iGX: How do you think the tribal sector should approach entering into iGaming?
MM: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the ‘tribal sector’ is not a homogenous entity made up of identical operations. That’s what makes our sector so unique. It’s made up of tribal governments with a handful of gaming properties – or in many cases, one property – all the way up to the largest tribes whose gaming and entertainment holdings are vast and multi-faceted.
That said, the leadership of each tribe will determine their tribe’s approach. Oftentimes, tribal leadership will meet and discuss salient points of proposed new offerings, or other topics which may affect the industry as a whole, with the leadership of other tribes. This is something that happens regularly in Oklahoma, but afterwards, each tribe will act on the behalf of its citizens.
iGX: In terms of regulatory frameworks, can you give us any examples of states that have gotten it right and even wrong when it comes to ensuring the tribal sector can continue to grow its legacy and thrive?
MM: There’s no such thing as right or wrong. Each tribal regulatory framework is primarily governed by their own tribal gaming regulatory authority as authorised by the United States Congress under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). Each authority then works in conjunction at the federal level with the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), which is tasked with promulgating regulations and monitoring Class II operations and may include some type of joint state- tribal regulatory system, that has been negotiated under a tribal-state compact for Class III gaming activities. Each framework is set up to meet the requirements of all of those entities, while also meeting the business goals of the tribes involved.
iGX: Why is it so crucial that the industry comes together to speak at events like the SBC Summit?
Any time we can come together as an industry, we can listen to and learn from one another. We can forge new relationships, strengthen existing relationships and spark new ideas together. For all the technology, like Zoom and others that allow us to ‘meet’ virtually, there is still no substitute for coming together in person and sharing our experiences.
iGX: What are you most eager to learn from the event?
I attend many industry events each year and I’m always delighted to learn – ours is a bold, ever-changing industry and staying abreast of everything happening isn’t always easy. I value SBC for the depth and breadth of its educational and networking options.
Source: https://igamingexpert.com/features/matthew-l-morgan-tribal-operators-are-constantly-seeking-innovation-and-advancement/
