This comes after the video-based responsible gaming training platform recently announced its introduction, as well as outlining a vision to provide a range of safer gambling training while giving back to partners for research and prevention initiatives.

Ernie Stevens, Jr., chairman at the National Indian Gaming Association, commented, “We are proud to be taking a proactive stance on responsible gaming and we are partnering with RG24seven to do this.

“Education and training of our tribal employees is a critical component of our responsible gaming strategy and we are encouraging all members to provide this important training to their employees.”

Furthermore, Jodi DiLascio has also been welcomed to the ever growing RG24seven team, joining the group after spending ten years leading BMM Testlabs’ tribal gaming division. 

DiLascio will focus on providing RG24seven’s compliance-grade virtual training to tribal gaming enterprises, as well as looking to elevate their own responsible gaming programs as they move into new gaming verticals such as sports betting, mobile and cashless wagering.

DiLascio stated: “We are thrilled to partner with the National Indian Gaming Association to not only provide responsible gaming training to their members, but also to be able to contribute to their mission. I look forward to working with the National Indian Gaming Association members to provide this important industry training.”

This latest collaboration follows a collaboration inked last week with GVC Holdings, which sees the firm provide responsible gaming training for US staff.

Wendy Anderson, CEO RG24seven, added on the group’s latest partnership: “I’m so pleased to welcome Jodi DiLascio to our RG24seven team. Jodi’s knowledge of Tribal gaming is second to none and she is an absolute pleasure to work with. It’s also a tremendous honour to be able to serve the National Indian Gaming Association through responsible gaming training.”

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According to Stevens, the coronavirus threatens the Indian Country more than other populations, he stated: “Far too many Native Americans are susceptible to this virus because of existing health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and asthma.

“But the trigger for spread of the virus is the lack of housing on Indian lands. With multiple generations of families living under one roof, this virus poses a unique challenge to tribal leaders nationwide.”

Stevens confirmed in the statement that all 12 Indian Health Service regions have reported confirmed cases of persons testing positive for the coronavirus, Adding: “Some of the hardest-hit areas of Indian Country include the Navajo Nation (813 cases as of 13 April), the Pueblo of San Felipe (54), Pueblo of Zia (31) and the Tohono O’odham Nation.”

Stevens concluded with a call of solidarity for all to be “committed individually to doing our part to help lessen the curve and bring us forward to a new normal to rebuild upon for our families, communities, and Indian Country.”

Paf has announced that it is providing a larger dividend of €40m this year in an attempt to alleviate the negative effects of the coronavirus as its customer segments for 2019 showed that the number of big players has decreased by 67 per cent.

Profit generated by the Aland gaming company during the financial year 2019 saw an increase from its 2018 figure of €24.6m to €25.6m. The board of directors proposed that profits be given to the government of Aland for distribution for socially beneficial purposes.

Paf chairman Jan-Mikael von Schantz commented on the proposal: “We would like to express our sincere thanks to the management and staff for their excellent work. The importance of Paf’s contribution to society appears to be extraordinarily high in situations such as these.”

UK gambling operators have been urged by the government to ramp up its protection measures during the COVID-19 lockdown in an attempt to mitigate what, it has described as a “heightened risk of problem gambling.”

Sports minister, Nigel Huddleston, emphasised in a letter to five chief executives of the largest gambling companies, that “messages warning of risks and signposting to support needs to be more obvious for all potential customers.”

Huddleston called on Bet365, Ladbrokes and Coral owner GVC, SkyBet, William Hill and Flutter to inform people of sources of support such as GambleAware. He said: “As we stay at home and spend more time online, it is vital that no stone is left unturned in protecting people from gambling-related harm.”

Sahara Las Vegas has announced it is teaming up with the World Central Kitchen in collaboration with the Nevada Restaurant Association to provide meals to healthcare workers in Las Vegas.

Sahara began serving 300 meals per day over an initial five-day period to feed more than 1,500 essential medical workers as they continue on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Healthcare workers around the world and right here in our community have been working under unprecedented and difficult conditions.” said Anthony Olheiser, vice president of food and beverage for Sahara Las Vegas.

“We have an incredible partnership with Chef José Andrés and his Think Food Group and we are excited to be collaborating with Chef Andrés’ non-profit organisation, World Central Kitchen, to deliver fresh, hot meals to those on the front lines,”

Churchill Downs has revealed plans to host a “day-long-at-home Kentucky Derby party” on the first Saturday in May, traditionally the date of the Derby, in a hope to raise €2m for the COVID-19 emergency relief effort.

Beginning on 30 April, fans will be able to visit the official website to choose their favourite horse to win the virtual race and also join Churchill Downs in making a charitable donation with Churchill Downs pledging to match up to €1m of donations with funds to be directed to the Team Kentucky Fund and Direct Relief.

“For many fans around the country, the first Saturday in May has become a part of their family’s yearly traditions,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack.

“While we eagerly look forward to the 146th Kentucky Derby this year on the first Saturday in September, we will celebrate the annual excitement of our traditional date with our fans and community by offering ways for us to join together for a great cause. Our fans will be captivated by the realistic view of the virtual race and we can debate, as we do each year, our favourite to win.”

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Trump had suggested four congresswomen of colour, namely representatives Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, could “go back” to the countries from which they came. All, apart from Omar, were born in the US.

Trump later took to Twitter to defend himself: “Those Tweets were NOT Racist. I don’t have a Racist bone in my body! The so-called vote to be taken is a Democrat con game. Republicans should not show “weakness” and fall into their trap. This should be a vote on the filthy language, statements and lies told by the Democrat…..”

The House of Representatives subsequently voted to pass house resolution 489, introduced by representative Tom Malinowski, which condemned the remarks and used a series of quotes from ex-Presidents and founding fathers.

The resolution states that the House of Representatives:

• Believes that immigrants and their descendants have made America stronger, and that those who take the oath of citizenship are every bit as American as those whose families have lived in the United States for many generations.
• Is committed to keeping America open to those lawfully seeking refuge and asylum from violence and oppression, and those who are willing to work hard to live the American Dream, no matter their race, ethnicity, faith, or country of origin.
• Strongly condemns President Donald Trump’s racist comments that have legitimised and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of colour by saying that our fellow Americans who are immigrants, and those who may look to the President like immigrants, should “go back” to other countries, by referring to immigrants and asylum seekers as “invaders,” and by saying that Members of Congress who are immigrants (or those of our colleagues who are wrongly assumed to be immigrants) do not belong in Congress or in the United States of America.

Stevens’ statement, issued following the passage of house resolution 489, can be read in full below:

“The National Indian Gaming Association denounces the comments directed towards respected female members of Congress. They are American citizens, duly elected by their fellow citizens, and they deserve better treatment from the office of the President. Coming off of a historic election where the first two female Native Americans were elected to the Congress, we should be honouring the strength of this country represented by one of the most diverse Congresses in this nation’s history.

“The idea of America would not have been possible if it weren’t for the fact that native nations welcomed the first European settlers fleeing their home countries for a better life. The original sin of slavery and hatred directed at groups of immigrants stunted our growth.

“For Indian country, the violation of treaties, theft of lands, and devastating genocide against native peoples left an indelible stain on the nation’s honour. The xenophobic federal policies of forced assimilation authorised the government-sanctioned separation of native children from their families where they were forbidden from speaking their language or practising their religion.

“Urging certain groups to return to their countries of origin conjures up the dark images of this nation’s past injustices and intolerance. Today’s United States of America is better than our past. We are a nation of diverse and multi-racial citizens who seek the common goal of equality and dignity as a united people.

“While our government has not always adhered to it, the foundation of the United States rests on a notion that all people are created equal with the ability to determine our own destiny.

“We owe it to all of our ancestors, indigenous and immigrant, to strive every day to live up to the inherent promise of our nation’s foundation: The United States is a home for all who strive for equality regardless of colour, sex or ethnicity. May the creator bless the United States of America and its enduring principles shared by all citizens of this great nation.”

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Hearing oral arguments in December of last year, with a wide belief of a favourable outcome for New Jersey, it seems to be a case of when, not if, sport betting is permitted within the state.

Within the United States tribal gaming represents big business, and, it is believed within some sectors, could be key when looking at the long term outlook.

Aurene Martin, partner at Spirit Rock Consulting, gives a brief insight into the scale and inner workings of tribes and their casinos: “It’s a $32bn annual industry in the United States, and depending on how you look at tribal gaming versus other segments of the gaming industry, it represents between 40%-50% of the entire industry in the US.

“We’re pretty proud of that figure because we have been growing continuously since Indian gaming started in 1988.

“So tribes are different from commercial gaming in one very important respect, tribal gaming is owned and operated by Indian tribes, tribal sovereign governments, in the United States.

“They are, we like to say, 100% taxed, because all of our profits go to the operation of our tribal governments and providing services for our people.

“It is also very different from commercial gaming in that it is operated under the framework of federal Indian law, [and the] Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

“And the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act preserves the rights of tribes, which they already have inherently, to operate gaming, but it was also a compromise, between tribes and states, for them to work within the legal framework of the state which they are in agreement with.

“Those with class three style gaming are classed in the Indian Regulatory Act as those with casino style games, and so it is different in that way because you have to look at every state in which tribes are located to determine how that game might be operated.”  

With Debbie Thundercloud, chief of staff at the National Indian Gaming Association, adding: “We have 248 tribes in the United States that do conduct gaming, those tribes are located with 29 of the states, and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires that tribes and states enter into contracts that outline how gaming is going to be conducted, how it is going to be regulated, for those class three style games.

“And those terms and conditions of how the contracts vary for each of those tribes, so each of the 248 tribes have gaming may have different nuances and terms and conditions within those contracts.

“Some of those contracts may be exclusivity clauses, so that’s where it complicates how sports betting might get rolled out in the United States within Tribal gaming because those tribes have exclusive jurisdiction within those states to have gaming and there may be commercial forces that want to participate in that, but because of those exclusivity clauses it makes the political dynamics a little bit different.

“The PASPA law has a specific reference to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and gaming conducted on Indian lands, which includes tribal gaming in the prohibition of sports betting.”

Labelling tribes as the US gaming markets “best kept secret” Thundercloud went on to detail the research, information gathering and education currently being undertaken by tribes on the sports betting betting issue: “Indian gaming is a good platform, I think, for this whole sports betting opportunity, because we provide those kinds of things to companies who are wanting to build and grow.

“So I think Indian gaming is the place to begin with.

“Another thing some of our partners said is that tribes are in business relationships for the long term, and that is very true.

“Within Indian Country we like to develop relationships of trust and reliability, and that takes a lot of time, but once that relationship is established and there is a lot of trust there, you can expect to be able to do business with us for a very long time.”

Chris Stearns, commissioner for the Washington State Gambling Commission, shares a belief that tribal gaming could represent a good option: “For operators I think Indian Country offers a perfect opportunity for sports betting, and it will vary by state, what kind of products are allowed.

“In Washington we are, in terms of tribal gaming, one of the top five markets in the United States, the gross gambling revenue for the entire state is around $3bn.

“Currently the tribal gaming sector produces around 88% of that market, that’s a lot because the remainder of our market is commercial partners and those numbers have been decreasing lately, because they simply cannot offer the same kind of products that tribal casinos can offer.

“In our state we have a constitutional prohibition against gambling, except as specifically authorised when the constitution was amended in 1972, and then it provides that any new form of gambling has to be approved by a super majority, 60% of the legislature or 50% of the voters if it goes to a referendum.”

“There are 29 tribes in Washington, and 22 tribes operate 28 gambling facilities, and they range in size from 200-300 machines all the way up to almost 4,000 machines.

“What is important to think about is that if PASPA is overturned, and there is an opportunity in Washington, they would have to get authorised by the legislature and by that super majority margin.

“It is no secret that tribes in Washington are very effective, they are very united and they carry a lot of political weight.

“To me, my own opinion is that the real battle over what kind of sports betting would be allowed will be driven by the tribes,” added Sterns.

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The National Indian Gaming Association event at the Las Vegas Convention Center in late April saw Merkur display a new range of 10 games “made in America, by Americans and for Americans”.

Eight of these titles came from Vegas-based Sunshine Games and two from High 5 Games, which is based in New York.

Reporting an enthusiastic response from visitors, the Gauselmann subsidiary sees NIGA 2018 as “a significant forward step in the development of Merkur Games US as a top-level games producer in the US market”.

Merkur Gaming US CEO, Charles Hiten, said: “The figures show that NIGA in Las Vegas was a major success, in terms of both exhibitors and visitors.

“For us, the show was a chance to show the high level of products that we are bringing to the US and it was both exciting and gratifying to receive the overall high levels of positive reaction that we received.”

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