FEBRUARY 2019 http://www.ggbmagazine.com^31“The regulatory infrastructure for the state of
New Mexico is just being developed,” Parrish says.
“Our feeling is rather than jumping in and push-
ing the situation, creating ambiguity or volatility
in the situation, we want to work with the state to
create the regulatory infrastructure that will help
the state and help the tribes. We’ll build our pro-
gram into that.”
Navajo has defined areas in both the Twin Ar-
rows resort and the smaller operations to integrate
betting facilities, video screens and food and bever-
age ventures. A kiosk will be provided in the
smaller Shiprock facility.
The investment will range depending on
whether state and federal law restricts wagering on
tribal lands or allows mobile and internet wagering
from off the property.
“We’re in rural locations,” Parrish says of the
four properties. “We anticipate having a lot of bet-
ting on local and regional teams. That makes it
harder to balance the money wagered on each side
of the contest and mitigate volatility in payouts.
With a smaller operation like we are, that’s some-
thing to be mindful of.
“We’re going to be very competitive with the
lines we offer, but we’re not going to be overly ag-
gressive.”
Online wagering would significantly increase
revenue, but the margin would remain small at 3-
5 percent.
“It’s not such a big number that it will trans-
form our business,” Parrish says. “But it will add
value that we can use to create more jobs and more
revenue back to the nation. The volume will go up
pretty significantly.”Preparing For Change
NIGA’s convention and trade show this spring in
San Diego will target strategies for smaller and
mid-size tribal casinos, including methods of inte-
grating sports wagering into a facility.
The debate will include European-style bet-
ting shops, says Skenandore-Thundercloud, “ideas
that would work for a smaller tribe versus setting
aside a big piece of the gaming floor and dedicat-
ing it to something like that.”
Shapiro is fairly certain that in one form or an-
other—overcoming the regulatory, compacted and
legal hurdles—sports betting will be a fixture in
virtually every tribal casino in the country, big or
small.
“There’s been an initial sort of rush since
PASPA,” Shapiro says, “but sports betting is going
to be around in this country for a long time.”For more information or to subscribe to the database or monthly
report contact Ashley Diem at [email protected]
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