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Speaking to participants at the ongoing ICE 2025 in Barcelona, a panel of California tribal leaders announced that they will not push for online gambling in 2026. They also revealed that their focus is on developing a comprehensive model for legalized sports betting that benefits all tribes across the state.
The panel featured James Siva, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), Johnny Hernandez, vice chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and Catalina Chacon, a Pechanga Band of Mission Indians councilmember Catalina Chacon. During the session, titled “State of Gambling in California: Current Trends and Future Prospects,” they highlighted their commitment to a collaborative approach.
Hernandez emphasized the necessity of including all tribes, even those without gaming operations, in any future discussions. “It has to include all tribes, including non-gaming tribes. I agree with Catalina that all tribes have to be in agreement. Gaming must go through the tribes,” he stated.
Chacon further elaborated on the tribes’ decision, noting, “It’s not going to happen in 2026,” Chacon said. “The data is telling us that the time is not right. Definitely not 2026, we’re looking more like 2028, but it has to include all tribal communities in California.”
Chairman Siva echoed these sentiments, warning against rushing into a complex issue that combines both sports betting and iGaming. “We have come too far and have too much at stake to hastily navigate this intricate landscape,” he remarked.
This announcement comes not too far after the significant financial investment made by the tribes to defeat a commercial sports betting proposal in 2022, and amid rising pressure from sweepstakes operations.
A Long Way to Go For California Tribes
The Golden State is home to over 100 tribes, and getting them into a single agreement would definitely be challenging. These tribes, notably Pechanga and San Manuel, united in 2022 to defeat Proposition 27, which sought to legalize digital sports betting, reinforcing the mantra that any gaming expansion in the state must originate from Indian Country.
With James Siva emphasizing the need for patience, the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (RSTF), which currently allocates $1.1 million annually from gaming tribes to non-gaming tribes, will likely be a critical point in future negotiations. Given inflation and how fast the sector is evolving, there is a growing sentiment that this figure needs to be assessed as tribes consider how to properly share resources in a potentially expanded gaming environment.
However, Chacon remains optimistic about the tribes’ model plans. “This is the first time there is some energy and some excitement behind this model where we can get behind it and work together as tribes,” she said. “Because that’s the only way we’re going to push or do anything different in California, is if we all define some type of ownership for all tribes in California.”
No Chance for Sweepstakes
Another major issue that California tribes have been facing is the growing trend of sweepstakes. There has been a rise in sweepstakes platforms advertising on television and other platforms, which has further complicated the landscape for tribal gaming.
During the discussion, moderator Jason Giles, who’s the executive director of the Indian Gaming Association, asked tribal leaders if this rise in sweepstakes gaming was putting pressure on them to legalize sports betting.
Victor Rocha, chairman of the IGA conference, expressed his shock at the rapid growth of sweepstakes, noting that it has even managed to unite both tribes and commercial operators, who often find themselves at odds. He even organized a series of webinars last fall to address the implications of these unregulated entities.
Catalina Chacon also highlighted the deceptive nature of these operations, stating, “They are getting away with it by saying that it’s a non-play, that there is no money. But if you peel back, you see that there is. It’s not OK. It’s illegal in California. Sweepstakes casinos are just not what they say they are.”
Source: iGamingBusiness
