From the top: OIGA conference preview

Having recently visited the Indian Gaming Association (IGA) conference in San Diego, California during April 2025, Gaming America bears insight into the upcoming Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) event taking place from July 14-16. Described as the “biggest little show” in Indian gaming, the conference will assuredly provide significant discussion when it comes to the biggest challenges facing the industry today, whether it be daily fantasy sports (DFS), prediction markets, events contracts or the use of AI.

The gaming types were prevalent throughout IGA during its run at the San Diego Convention Center, beginning when Conference Chairman Victor Rocha spoke during an opening panel alongside DraftKings Co-Founder and CEO Jason Robins and FanDuel President Christian Genetski. Calling out operators such as BetMGM and PrizePicks directly for “making their entire identity about fighting against sovereignty,” Rocha praised DraftKings and FanDuel for their efforts in ensuring all parties find success before approaching any agreement with Tribes.

During the IGA conference in San Diego as well, California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) Chairman James Siva touched on the current threats challenging Indian gaming on a panel that additionally included Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Chairman Isaiah Vivanco.

“Over the course of California’s history of gaming, especially in Tribal areas, there have been countless threats to the sanctity of gaming, most recently being DFS 2.0 or sweepstakes, but no matter what California remains as the birthplace of Tribal gaming,” Siva said.

“We ended up looking at these operators and saying ‘we don’t need gaming to survive, do you?’ And we’re not afraid to really challenge these threats and ensure they don’t take a greater effect in Tribal communities.”

Siva directly pointed out recent efforts made by the CFTC in prediction markets, and how CNIGA brought together numerous Tribal and gaming organizations to fight back against the legislation. According to Siva, he had to give himself and these organizations a “crash course” in prediction markets, and how nearly every Tribal regulator agrees this represents the greatest threat to Tribal gaming today.

OIGA Chairman Matthew Morgan, also a member of the Chickasaw Nation, spoke with Gaming America during the IGA conference on what attendees can expect from the Oklahoma event, coming off what could be described as a tense atmosphere in Southern California.

“It’s where we get a lot of people that are in the gaming industry to come to Oklahoma and enjoy our hospitality. We’ll be in Oklahoma City again this year, July 14-16 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. It’s led by Mayor David Holt, who actually is an Osage Tribal citizen, so he has a really good grasp on what we do and the benefits of the community,” Morgan said.

“We’ll have a strong educational session program where we will look at not only what is affecting our Tribal members in terms of the new federal administration, but also at the state level. Sports betting is going to take up a lot of our conversation space while also just looking at new innovations in our industry in general. There are new things out there we’re seeing through social media with the push for influences and marketing, and how are you distinguishing your property from your neighbor.”

With events such as IGA in the rearview now, the OIGA conference in July will serve as a necessary space for discussions surrounding these challenges to be had, whether by regulators, Tribal government bodies or the operators offering these gaming types. The desire for expansion, especially in Tribal gaming, is an ever-present that will assuredly make its way to the Oklahoma City Convention Center, given that nearly 3,000 vendors, attendees and guest speakers are expected to be in attendance for this year’s show. Morgan is no stranger to the wishes of operators and suppliers who conduct business with Tribes, keeping in mind the risks and rewards of growing such a vital industry.

“That’s something we’re always going to see, especially in our industry being such a technology and entertainment-driven space. You’re always having people, like I say, push the envelope.

In a way, that can be helpful because it helps our industry grow while being mindful of what impact it has on communities. If someone’s doing something unsavory, a bad apple, we know the consequences to be suffered and can push back from that,” Morgan said.

“Tribes are very leery in what they decide and I think a lot of that goes back to why we’re empowered in the first place to operate gaming operations within Indian Country. It was a way to have economic development for our Tribes, give back to programs and services, and have that relationship with Tribal government officials. A lot of our regulatory bodies are made up by individual Tribal members and it’s not just a job for them.”

As Gaming America prepares to join the Indian gaming industry’s most influential figures at OIGA from July 14-16, it cannot be ignored how crucial 2025 appears for Tribes and its businesses. Even outside of the worries currently being felt by Tribal members such as Rocha, Siva and Morgan, the exponential growth Indian gaming could see during the course of this year may alter the direction the industry heads for the foreseeable future. Whether it is iGaming, sports betting or battling operators of DFS and prediction markets, there is no telling the size Indian gaming could grow to by the conclusion of 2025.

From California to Oklahoma, Tribes are looking for different ways to grab hold of the opportunities constantly presenting themselves within the gaming industry, while remaining true to the beliefs and sovereignty from which it originated. Despite certain challenges being presented year-in and year-out, new offerings that threaten Tribes could easily be seen as business opportunities if an interest within the community starts to grow. Beginning with the IGA conference in San Diego and extending to OIGA in Oklahoma City, these events are the first step to breaking new ground in Tribal gaming – and ensuring future generations will carry on the legacy of this industry.

Kirk Geller

Visit Profile

Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.