The debut episode of the Indigenous Voices iGamingDaily episode series, Kelli Weaver was joined by Jacob Coin, Executive Advisor to Chairman-San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, as he emphasised his belief that tribes have not necessarily been scared to tap into new technologies.
He highlighted the shift to digital bingo as a key example of where tribes have embraced new tech in order to fuel growth and elevate the overall user experience they are offering to players.
Coin stated: “I would say that tribes have not necessarily been afraid of technology, but we have been cautious in our approach to make sure that we are putting forward something that is not only gonna be able to meet the legal standards for use, but also makes economic sense for us so that we are making the best use of our tribe’s assets.
“The approach that we took is on the regulatory side, I would say is probably a little bit more conscious than our commercial counterparts. They’re a little bit more willing to take on risk than a regulator is, but I think that’s the nature of a regulator. We have to be sceptical. We have to take a look at things and make sure that we’ve examined it so that we can attest to its viability and its compliance within our statutes.
“It’s been kind of a slow progress in the early years, but now with the rapid advances happening in technology, tribes are having to really get used to new things on a more frequent basis. And it’s something that I think we have proven ourselves as being capable of responding to those types of changes.”
Coin also used the platform to further dispel a myth that has hindered the US gaming market, as he revealed the importance of understanding each jurisdiction that an operator plans on entering.
“One of the common misconceptions out there is if you get a gaming licence in a jurisdiction within the US that you can do business all over the country and that’s just really not the case,” stated Coin.
He went on to provide a closer analysis of the history and development of tribal gaming in the US, taking a closer look at how it has evolved over years.
