San Pasqual Reservation, CA — February 4, 2026 — The Indian Gaming Association (IGA) continued its nationwide engagement with tribal nations this week during a visit to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, hosted by Chairman Stephen W. Cope and the leadership team of Valley View Casino & Hotel. The visit included a tour of tribal lands at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, located on San Pasqual land, underscoring the Tribe’s longstanding partnership with the San Diego Zoo and the innovative ways tribal land stewardship, tourism, and gaming work together to support economic growth.

IGA Chairman David Z. Bean met with tribal leadership, casino management, and development partners to discuss cybersecurity preparedness, operational leadership, and the federal regulatory issues currently at the forefront of IGA’s work in Washington, D.C.

“This visit to San Pasqual is a powerful example of what tribal sovereignty looks like in action,” said Chairman Bean. “From the partnership with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to the success of Valley View Casino, the Tribe demonstrates how diversified economic development, responsible land stewardship, and strong enterprise management support the entire community. These are the real stories we take with us to Washington as we work to protect tribal gaming.”

Chairman Bean emphasized that it is a critical part of IGA’s vision to continue visiting tribal communities to communicate with and update them, including legislative updates on priorities and advocacy efforts alongside partner tribal and industry organizations, and to hear their concerns and highlights of the gaming properties.

“What we see here reinforces why IGA is heavily engaged in federal policy discussions right now,” Bean said. “The discussions happening at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission around predictive markets and sports wagering contracts represent what Indian Country clearly views as illegal gaming activity attempting to move outside the safeguards of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Tribes have spent decades building a lawful, highly regulated industry under IGRA. Any effort to create a side door around that framework is a direct threat to tribal sovereignty.”

Bean added, “When entities attempt to redefine betting contracts as financial instruments, we have to ask a simple question: who truly benefits from this activity? It is not tribal communities, not states, and not local governments. The only beneficiaries are private operators seeking to avoid the regulatory structure tribes and states have honored for decades.”

He continued, “IGA is working in coordination with sister tribal organizations, national gaming partners, and congressional offices to ensure that federal actions do not create pathways that undermine tribal rights or erode the legal foundation of Indian gaming.”

Bean also noted that the National Indian Gaming Commission has identified cybersecurity as the number one threat to tribal gaming operations nationwide.“We have seen how ransomware and cyber incidents can shut down tribal enterprises for days,” Bean said. “That is not just an IT issue. That is an economic and sovereignty issue. These are the conversations we are having in Washington because they directly impact tribes like San Pasqual and every tribal gaming operation across the country.”

Chairman Bean also reflected on the legacy of the late Ernie Stevens Jr., whose decades of leadership shaped IGA’s advocacy for tribal sovereignty and economic self-determination.

He said, “Chairman Stevens dedicated his life to protecting tribal gaming and ensuring tribes always had a strong voice in Washington,” Bean said. “IGA carries that responsibility forward every day. I am committed to continuing his work, honoring his legacy, and ensuring that tribal nations remain protected, respected, and heard at the federal level.”

The visit also supported IGA’s broader outreach strategy to expand engagement with tribal, state, and regional organizations and to share examples of successful tribal enterprises that demonstrate the strength and diversity of Indian gaming. “Our role is to listen to tribes, learn from what is working, and carry those lessons forward into our advocacy,” Bean added. “San Pasqual’s leadership in partnership, hospitality, and enterprise management is exactly the kind of example policymakers need to understand when they consider decisions that affect Indian Country.” Bean concluded.