The Takeaway: The Vibe From A Tribal Gaming Conference

Sweepstakes and prediction markets don't get much love in San Diego.

Apr 03, 2025

A quick dispatch as I sit in the San Diego airport getting ready to head home to Oregon (apologies if there are any errors in here).

I was at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention this week, including moderating a panel this morning. There are always lots of things for tribal gaming interests to talk about at these conferences. But alarm bells were being sounded on the show floor and in panels almost every day about unregulated/quasi-regulated online gambling.

In particular, some segments of Indian Country view both sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks and sports betting via prediction markets (ie Kalshi) as an imminent/continuing threat to their business. While many tribal interests had made their opinions known in letters to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the level of concern voiced this week by some tribal leaders was palpable.

I learned from my time in San Diego that tribes will be represented at the CFTC roundtable scheduled for April 30; that meeting that may shape the future of prediction markets should finally be announced soon.

Tribes will try to position Kalshi as an illegal operator, serving users both on their lands and in states around the country. Whether their arguments move the needle remains to be seen, but at least they will be heard.

Sweepstakes are also still enemy No. 1B of tribes, at least in California, if not the rest of the country.

Will it manifest in any action or pullback against operators in either vertical? That remains to be seen. But I can say with some certainty that tribal gaming interests aren’t content to roll over and let Kalshi offer nationwide sports betting without a fight.

I learned PrizePicks was the official daily fantasy sports partner of the San Diego Padres when I went to a game this week.

Gambling news roundup

FanDuel’s PE Backers Fire Back at Founder’s Legal Fight Over 2018 Sale (Front Office Sports): “The original founder and face of FanDuel has spent the years since FanDuel sold to Irish betting giant PaddyPower suing the private equity firms that led the sale for what he and other early employees and shareholders believe was a raw deal for them. Now the PE firms are firing back.
Nigel Eccles says he was confused to receive a legal letter this week that attempts to force him into arbitration for his public claims that shareholders of the company were cheated by the company’s 2018 sale to a European bookmaker now called Flutter Entertainment.”
- “I settled with regard to things that had happened to date,” he said. “I didn’t agree to never sue them over anything, ever.”
- Everyone (other than Eccles and early employees) made out pretty well. Maybe just leave it alone.
Michigan Gaming Control Board takes action against 11 illegal offshore gambling websites (press release): “The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has taken decisive action against 11 illegal offshore gambling websites that were found to be unlawfully targeting Michigan residents. The websites, which include Shazam Casino, Highway Casino, SlotsRoom, Ruby Slots Casino, Las Atlantis Casino, Bet Big Dollar Casino, Blood Moon Casino, Spinfinity, Jumba Bet Casino, Grand Eagle Online Casino, and DogsFortune, were offering unlicensed gambling services in direct violation of Michigan law.”
- Michigan regulators are just relentless. My hat is off to them. They come up with casinos I’ve never heard of.
ESPN Bet is giving bonuses for a survey (Twitter/X): “Semi interesting development as Penn is offering $20 to wager for a 5 minute survey on ESPN Bet usage. Lot of the questions seemed aimed at trying getting data at the value of the ESPN relationship. Imagine lot of results looked like mine.”
- Better late than never, I suppose. ESPN/Penn obviously have a critical problem in turning users at ESPN into bettors. Will a survey answer it? It can’t hurt. But the answers aren’t going to be surprising. Penn does not seem to have the stomach for more marketing/bonusing, and the UX is a known issue.
Beyond March Madness, colleges face sports betting issue (ESPN): “A crime ring travels around the nation, inviting athletes to parties where there's gambling. The plan is to put the student-athletes in debt and compromise them for future exploitation. The plot sounds like a Hollywood script. But at least one college official believes it's happening in real life, part of a season pockmarked by suspicious bets on several low-profile schools across the country that suggest compromised competition. ‘What we found out is they're going into towns, throwing parties and having events, getting guys to come,’ said Chris Grant, the commissioner of the Southland Conference. ‘And when they come to these parties, they get [players] to gamble on site and [then say], 'OK, well you owe me X amount of dollars on the back end.'“
- There’s definitely been something strange going on in college basketball given all the investigations and chatter concerning gambling. Again, wait till someone figures out to further exploit all the unregulated/quasi-regulated options out there, particularly prediction markets.
Two New Alabama Sports Betting Plans Revealed (Sports Betting Dime): “Two new Alabama sports betting plans were revealed for the Yellowhammer State, but legislative support may still be lacking. Rep. Jeremy Gray (D-83) this week introduced HB 490, a bill to legalize sports betting and establish an Alabama Gaming Commission to regulate the new form of gaming in the state. Additionally, Sen. Greg Albritton (R-22) today revealed a new sports betting plan to members of the Alabama media to legalize online sports betting, a state lottery, and allow for tribal casinos.”
City of Baltimore says FanDuel, DraftKings preying on gambling addicts (SBC Americas): “A number of individuals have filed suit against DraftKings and FanDuel for their marketing practices, but now a major metropolitan city is joining the fray. The city of Baltimore has filed suit against the two operators for unfair, abusive and deceptive trade practices in the Baltimore City Circuit Court. Mayor Brandon Scott’s name is on the case along with the city, claiming that the two sportsbooks are using misleading promotions and corrupt VIP and retention practices to keep problem gamblers wagering with them.”
- I can think of a better use of any city’s resources than trying to sue sportsbooks that are legal in your state. Maybe sue the people who are offering sports betting in your state that aren’t regulated, for starters. And, speaking of which, maybe try to address your problems via the state that is regulating it rather than this way.
Illinois bill to criminalize sweepstakes moving forward in Senate (SBC Americas): “A bill in Illinois that would crack down on sweepstakes gaming has been referred to the Senate Executive committee as it continues to gather momentum. Sen. Bill Cunningham’s SB 1705 would amend the state Criminal Code to clarify that the definition of a ‘gambling device’ includes any electronic device that offers entry into any contest, competition or sweepstakes scheme that involves an element of chance and rewards players with an item of value for winning.”