by David Z. Bean
Welcome to the Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention, where tribal nations gather each year with a common purpose. This event offers an opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and honor the resilience and strength of tribal government gaming. As we assemble at the San Diego Convention Center from March 30 to April 2, 2026, this moment gains even greater significance.
We come together while still feeling the loss of our friend, our leader, and our brother, Ernie Stevens Jr. Chairman Stevens was a builder of opportunity for Indian Country. He believed in unity. He believed in people. And he believed that tribal gaming was one of the strongest tools we have to build our nations. His voice helped shape this industry. His leadership helped bring us together. And his legacy continues to guide us as we move forward. We honor him by continuing the work.
This year, we take time to recognize not only Chairman Stevens, but also Cheryl Stevens and their family. Cheryl stood beside him through every challenge and every success. Her strength and support were part of his leadership story, and that deserves to be recognized. Throughout the week, we will pause to remember Chairman Stevens in meaningful ways. From the Tribal Leaders’ Membership Meeting to special moments during the program, we will reflect on his life and what he gave to Indian Country.
We will also remember other legendary leaders who walked on this past year. Their work laid the foundation we stand on today. Leaders like Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, former Sycuan Chairman Danny Tucker, former NIGC Chairman Harold Monteau, and former Chairman of the Oneida Nation, Jerry Danforth. Their leadership reminds us that this industry has always been about more than just business. It is about sovereignty, self-determination, and the future of our people.
As we gather for the tribal leaders’ membership, we are also confronting one of the most serious challenges to tribal gaming in recent years. The expansion of prediction-market gambling fostered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) poses a direct threat to tribal sovereignty.
These platforms are operating nationwide, offering what is clearly illegal gambling, while avoiding the legal and regulatory framework that tribal and state gaming authorities follow. They violate tribal sovereignty and carefully negotiated tribal-state gaming compacts by offering gambling on Indian lands. They ignore tribal and state consultation. And they undermine the structure that has protected Indian gaming for decades.
This is not complicated. It is federal overreach. By propping up prediction markets, the CFTC is making the unilateral decision to authorize online sports gambling for all 575 federally recognized tribal governments and all 50 state governments.
Combating prediction markets will be a focal point of Indian Gaming 2026. During the Tribal Leaders’ Membership Meeting, our Member Tribes will come together to refine our strategy, share information, and move forward as one voice. The Indian Gaming Association will leave no stone unturned as we confront the challenge of prediction markets. We will continue to engage with Congress, federal agencies, and the courts. We will continue to build coalitions beyond Indian Country, partnering with the American Gaming Association, our state partners, and the problem gambling organizations. Most importantly, we will continue to build unity within Indian Country. As Chairman Stevens and our past leaders proved time and time again, when tribal governments stand united with one voice, there is no challenge we cannot overcome.
In addition to these critical policy discussions, our tradeshow will continue to place a spotlight on the drivers of our industry. The tradeshow floor is one of the most powerful parts of this convention. It shows, in a very real way, how far tribal gaming has come. This year, more than 340 exhibitors will fill the convention hall. Each one represents a partner, a business, or an innovation that supports tribal gaming operations nationwide. From gaming technology and cybersecurity to hospitality, food service, finance, and compliance tools, the range of expertise on display is impressive. These are not just vendors. They are partners who help tribal nations grow, adapt, and succeed. They are part of the larger ecosystem that has made tribal gaming one of the most successful economic drivers in Indian Country.
The Chairman’s Lounge, located right on the tradeshow floor, will once again serve as a place for leaders to connect. It is where conversations happen, where ideas are shared, and where relationships are built. Education remains one of the most important parts of this convention. Through the Seminar Institute and other sessions, we continue to invest in the people who help protect and operate tribal gaming.
These training programs are designed for regulators, commissioners, and tribal leadership. They focus on best practices, emerging challenges, and the tools needed to maintain strong and effective regulatory systems. Strong regulation supports strong sovereignty. It protects our operations and ensures that tribal gaming continues to operate with integrity and accountability. When we invest in training, we are investing in our governments.
One of the most meaningful moments of the week is recognizing the Matriarchs of Indian Gaming. This honor was established by Chairman Stevens because he believed deeply in recognizing the women who have helped build this industry. The 2026 honorees include A. Gay Kingman, Executive Director of the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association; Elizabeth Homer, Founder of Homer Law and a former Vice Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission; Janie Dillard, Chief Executive Officer of Choctaw Global; Pam Shaw, Chairwoman of United Women of Tribal Gaming and Osage Nation Congressional Speaker; Erica Pinto, Chairwoman of Jamul Indian Village; and Robin Villarreal, Chief Information Officer at Gila River Resorts and Casinos. Each of these women has made a lasting impact on tribal gaming and on their communities. They have led with strength, created opportunities for others, and helped move our industry forward. Recognizing them is not just about honoring their work. It is about continuing a vision that values leadership, mentorship, and community.
During the Chairman’s Leadership Luncheon, we will honor Eddie Tullis as this year’s Sovereign Warrior Award recipient. Chairman Tullis helped restore his tribe, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, to federal recognition and built a strong foundation that continues to support his people today. His leadership is a powerful example of what it means to fight for sovereignty and to create opportunity for future generations. This recognition is about more than one individual. It is about honoring the leaders who have borne the responsibility for sovereignty and shaped the path forward for all of us.
The Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention is more than a gathering. It is a place where tribal nations come together with purpose. This year, that purpose feels stronger than ever. As we look ahead, we also take time to honor the legends who helped build tribal gaming into what it is today. Chairman Stevens stands among those leaders. Alongside him, we remember others who dedicated their lives to protecting tribal sovereignty and strengthening tribal governments.
Their work created the path we walk today. Their leadership reminds us that this industry was built through persistence, unity, and a deep commitment to our people. They helped lead Indian Country through many challenges over the decades, doing so much with far fewer resources than we have today. Their work inspires us all, and we must honor their sacrifices as we confront these new challenges. That responsibility belongs to all of us. And together, we will carry it forward.
David Z. Bean is Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association. He can be reached by calling (202) 546-7711 or visit www.indiangaming.org.