IGA panel: Operators need to approach ‘ground level’ when partnering with Tribes
Executives from DraftKings and FanDuel share insight as to how successful collaborations with Tribes can be forged through putting sovereignty at the forefront.
Key Points
- IGA Conference Chairman Victor Rocha called out operators such as PrizePicks and BetMGM directly, stating each has built its entire identity around fighting against Tribal sovereignty
- Both Robins and Genetski spoke on how land-based gaming was never seen as an option for either FanDuel or DraftKings, with Robins mentioning his lack of appreciation for the vertical when first entering the industry
During the 2025 Indian Gaming Association (IGA) conference in San Diego, DraftKings Co-Founder and CEO Jason Robins and FanDuel President Christian Genetski spoke with IGA Conference Chairman Victor Rocha on how partnering with sportsbook operators can provide a “strategic advantage” for Tribes in the iGaming market.
Having described Tribes as a “big part of the American fabric of gaming,” Rocha questioned Robins and Genetski on how Tribal partnerships have become a vital resource for both operators.
“We want to be a nationwide company, we want to operate in as many states as we can and obviously Tribal gaming is a key component in that,” Genetski said.
“Tribes are the most important stakeholders and constituents in certain states where gaming can still be enabled and we are active in those conversations around the country.”
Rocha used DraftKings’ partnership with Bay Mills Casino in Michigan as an example of how sportsbook operators can help a smaller Tribe become a player in the “larger pond” of sports betting. The three speakers agreed that no collaboration can be forged between an operator and Tribe without coming down to the “ground level,” and understanding the impact each is making and, most importantly, who it is affecting.
Calling out operators such as BetMGM and PrizePicks directly for “making their entire identity about fighting against sovereignty,” Rocha praised DraftKings and FanDuel for its efforts in ensuring that all parties find success before approaching any agreement with Tribes.
“If we enter California with one Tribe, but we leave eight others out to dry without a real plan of action, then the initiative we set out to fulfill ultimately hasn’t been carried through properly,” Robins said.
“We attempted to enter California before and were turned away because we didn’t take the time to realize everything that went into bringing sports betting to the state. There is no chance sports betting can ever come to California if Tribes feel as if their sovereignty is not being respected. Companies like ours need to find an understanding of what these people want, the level of human interest and that no solution is going to be the same for every state.”
Good to know: FanDuel recently launched a number of new responsible gaming programming in an effort to expand access to problem gambling resources and education
Robins and Rocha both described individual states as “snowflakes,” with each having a different set of regulations and approvals required in order to begin conducting operations for sportsbooks such as FanDuel or DraftKings.
Also speaking on the difference between retail and online sports betting, Robins and Genetski agreed that neither executive ever believed retail would be a vertical DraftKings or FanDuel explored, but that the “best” companies never resemble what it originated as over time.
“I didn’t appreciate land-based gaming when I first started, and if you had asked me 10 years ago if land-based gaming would be an option for DraftKings, I’d probably say never,” Robins said.
“I had to learn to appreciate the connectivity of online versus offline and the need for in-person experiences. Now it’s almost a requirement to be able to connect the online side of operations with land-based gaming, whether it be through a property’s rewards points or finding a way to connect a customer’s DraftKings account with the retail sportsbook.”
As Tribal gaming continues to play a vital role in the industry’s numerous attempts at expansion, all speakers of the IGA panel stressed that growth cannot be seen unless everyone has an “equal share of the pie,” including operators, Tribes and the members who will be directly affected from the integration of sports betting.
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