August 18, 2026
| Chairman David Z. Bean credits Tribal leaders for increasing awareness in Congress and calls for continued action to defend Tribal sovereignty and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act |
| TULSA, OK. — AUGUST 12 , 2026 — The Indian Gaming Association (IGA) is continuing its national effort to challenge illegal prediction market gambling, with Chairman David Z. Bean calling on Tribal leaders to remain engaged as the fight moves forward in Congress, the courts, and across the country. During the latest episode on Wednesday, August 12 of the Indian Gaming Association’s The New Normal, Chairman Bean joined Conference Chairman Victor Rocha and Executive Director Jason Giles for a recap of this Summer’s efforts against the prediction markets and the work Tribal leaders have undertaken throughout the year to protect Tribal sovereignty, Tribal-State compact rights, and the legal framework established under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The discussion focused on IGA’s legislative and legal strategy, the growing involvement of Tribal leaders on Capitol Hill, and efforts to stop prediction market platforms from using federal commodities regulation to offer what a growing number of Courts are ruling is illegal sports betting and gambling outside established Tribal, state, and federal gaming laws. “Our message is clear. We are not opposed to prediction markets, cryptocurrency, or other new frontiers in technology. What we are opposed to are prediction markets in the sports betting and gambling space, these are not swaps” Chairman Bean said. Over the past several months, IGA’s efforts have expanded significantly. As debate over prediction markets and related federal legislation intensified, Tribal leaders from across the country participated in coordinated fly-ins to Washington, D.C., met directly with Senators and members of Congress, and joined IGA’s Summer Legislative Summit, which placed a strong emphasis on Capitol Hill visits. Chairman Bean said one of the most encouraging developments has been the number of Tribal leaders who have stepped forward, including many new voices joining longtime advocates in Washington. “I was really excited to see the number of Tribal leaders get involved, and not just the usual players,” Bean said. “I saw a lot of new faces, and that tells me the awareness has spread.” The growing Tribal presence is beginning to have an impact. Bean noted that only months ago many lawmakers were still learning what prediction markets were and how their expansion into sports wagering could affect Tribal Nations. Following weeks of meetings, testimony, letters, direct advocacy, and visits from Tribal leaders, the conversation in Washington has increasingly shifted toward calls for additional review and greater scrutiny. “We’re making some headway,” Bean said. “The fact that the cryptocurrency bill, which did several favors for prediction markets, did not come to a Senate vote means that we’ve had an impact.” He thanked Tribal leaders who have participated and encouraged more Tribal Nations to join. “It’s making an impact at the local level in a way that prediction market lobbying cannot match,” Bean said. Prediction markets offering sports wagering and gambling products threaten the jurisdictional framework established by Congress through IGRA, Tribal-State gaming compacts, state gaming laws, consumer protection laws, and the sovereign rights of Tribal Nations to regulate gaming within their jurisdictions. “This is about violations of Tribal sovereignty and state sovereignty,” Bean emphasized during the discussion. The podcast also addressed concerns raised by IGA Executive Director Jason GilesandConference Chairman Victor Rocha: the increasing questions from Washington on whether Tribal Nations can demonstrate a specific level of financial loss attributable to prediction markets. IGA and its partners are working to collect economic data and document the impact these operations may have on Tribal gaming. The Association has also discussed the need for research and better data that can help Tribal leaders demonstrate what is happening in their individual markets. However, Chairman Bean stated that Tribes should not be required to demonstrate, or wait for, dramatic monetary losses, such as significant declines in sportsbook revenues, before policymakers or regulators recognize the illegality of the prediction market industry. The challenge is particularly significant in Indian Country because sports betting remains relatively new or limited in many Tribal gaming markets. Some of the largest Tribal gaming states, including California and Oklahoma, do not currently have Tribal sports wagering. In other markets, sports betting may represent only a small percentage of a Tribal gaming operation’s overall revenue. That makes it difficult, and potentially misleading, to judge the impact of nationwide prediction market wagering solely by looking for dramatic declines in Tribal sportsbook revenue. Prediction markets are violating the law by offering sports bets and calling them swaps. The discussion also referenced reports from some Tribal operations experiencing declines in sportsbook activity, illustrating why IGA believes additional data collection is important. At the same time, Rocha and Giles emphasized that the debate cannot simply become a question of how large a financial loss Tribes must demonstrate before action is taken. Chairman Bean reinforced that point, cautioning against an argument that effectively requires Tribal Nations to suffer substantial financial damage before illegal gambling activity is addressed. “It shouldn’t be that you have to show that you’re going out of business due to illegal activity for them to stop the illegal activity,” Bean said. “It’s illegal.” The larger question is whether prediction market operators should be permitted to offer what amounts to sports wagering and gambling nationwide while avoiding the regulatory requirements, Tribal-State compact obligations, licensing requirements, consumer protections, and jurisdictional framework governing regulated gaming. Bean made IGA’s position clear later in the podcast. “This is illegal. This is gambling,” he said. “We have made that message clear, and it is resonating with Congress.” IGA is pursuing the prediction markets issue on multiple fronts. In addition to its work with Congress, IGA is coordinating with the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) on legal efforts surrounding prediction markets. The podcast also addressed ongoing litigation and the important role that Tribal governments and Tribal gaming regulatory bodies may play as courts continue to consider questions involving federal authority, state gaming laws, and Tribal rights. “We’re working with NCAI and NARF on the legal efforts,” the discussion noted, while also emphasizing that Tribal governments and regulatory bodies must continue addressing the facts on the ground. Chairman Bean said IGA must remain prepared for the issue to continue through the courts while maintaining pressure on Congress. “There are a lot of working strategies going on,” Bean said. “As we move into fall election season, we just need all hands-on deck.” Throughout the podcast, Chairman Bean repeatedly credited Tribal leaders for carrying the message directly to Congress. Tribal leaders participating in IGA’s advocacy efforts have shared how prediction markets affect their individual Nations, gaming operations, employees, Tribal-State relationships, economic development, and sovereign governmental rights. Bean said those individual Tribal stories strengthen the national message because every Tribal Nation and every gaming market is different. “I’m thankful for the many voices that have shown up,” Bean said. “Veteran Tribal leaders, new Tribal leaders, and new faces” have helped Congress better understand the different impacts facing Indian Country. IGA also recognized the Tribal attorneys, advocates, lobbyists, regional State and Tribal organizations, representatives, partner organizations, and the incredibly hardworking team members at IGA who have played a significant role in coordinating meetings and bringing Tribal leaders to Washington. Looking toward the fall, Bean said IGA intends to increase its outreach. The Association plans to engage Congress again during NCAI’s Impact Week in D.C. this September. IGA will engage state and regional Tribal organizations on bringing notice of violations and regulatory enforcement against prediction markets. IGA has also commissioned an economic study to gather information from Tribal Nations experiencing negative impacts and encourage Tribal leaders to take those stories directly to their congressional delegations. “We cannot take our foot off the pedal here,” Bean said. “If anything, we have to press the pedal even harder and show up in numbers back in D.C.” IGA will also continue educating members of Congress about the broader economic importance of Indian gaming and why threats to Tribal gaming reach beyond casino floors to Tribal governments, employees, surrounding communities, and regional economies. As Congress prepares for elections in the fall, Chairman Bean also encouraged Tribal Nations to use every opportunity to communicate directly with elected officials when lawmakers return to their home states and districts. For Bean, the response ultimately comes back to the strength of Tribal participation and unity. “We have a voice and a vote,” Bean said. “So let’s use them.” IGA will continue working with its national partners, preparing for potential litigation, strengthening its Sovereignty Defense Fund, and mobilizing Tribal leadership as the prediction markets issue moves through Congress, federal regulatory agencies, and the courts. To watch the episode, click below. |
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