Digital growth in tribal gaming isn’t a matter of luck — it’s about who you bring to the table. That was the loud-and-clear message from a panel at this year’s Indian Gaming Association Tradeshow & Convention, where top tribal gaming executives and legal minds shared how assembling the right team is now the make-or-break factor in today’s fast-shifting industry.
Forget the old playbook of slot machines and brick-and-mortar rollouts. This era? It’s software-driven. And the rules — both written and unwritten — are changing fast.
Not just gaming anymore: It’s a full-blown tech industry
“It’s a technology industry now and not a gaming industry,” said Daron Dorsey, president and CEO of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM). And he didn’t mince words.
Dorsey highlighted how much of what’s considered “cutting-edge” in consumer tech is already knocking on the doors of tribal casinos — or has already walked in.
What does that mean? For one, innovation is no longer optional. It’s built into the business model.
“The more things we don’t regulate because they don’t touch on a regulatory function, we’re going to see advancement much quicker,” Dorsey added. That’s a big deal. It means regulators and tribal leaders need to stay in lockstep — not just to keep up, but to stay ahead.
The team behind the tech matters more than ever
Kelly Myers, who moderated the panel, set the tone early: success in the digital space is as much about the people behind the screens as the tech on them. Myers, the director of governmental affairs at Gaming Laboratories International, pulled no punches about the hiring and training gaps she’s seen firsthand.
Anika Howard, CEO of Wondr Nation, echoed the concern.
“You can’t just go hire a developer and expect them to understand tribal gaming,” Howard said. “They need to get the culture, the mission, the unique regulatory landscape. That takes time. That takes training.”
Howard stressed that finding tech talent willing to work within tribal systems isn’t impossible — but it does require a serious shift in how tribes approach recruitment.
And retention? That’s a whole other story.
Where tribes should start building their digital bench
For tribes still sorting out their digital roadmaps, Jonodev Chaudhuri, principal at Chaudhuri Law and former NIGC chair, laid out what he called the “foundational triangle” for innovation: culture, compliance, and capability.
Chaudhuri didn’t sugarcoat the challenges. But he made one thing clear: no amount of funding or tech upgrades can fix a broken hiring or regulatory culture.
“There’s this tension between innovation and oversight,” he said. “The trick is not choosing one or the other. It’s building structures that let both thrive.”
Dave Vialpando, executive director of the Pala Gaming Commission, drove home the point: tribes that don’t build a workforce fluent in digital risk falling behind.
Here’s what panelists recommended tribes start focusing on immediately:
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Hire hybrid professionals — people who know both tech and gaming
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Invest in internal education programs
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Consider partnerships with universities and coding bootcamps
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Create career pathways that lead into leadership — not away from it
The tech isn’t coming — it’s already here
The old notion that tribes have time to ease into iGaming and sports betting? That’s gone. The industry has already flipped.
And the data backs it up. According to the American Gaming Association, U.S. online gambling revenue grew 22% year-over-year in 2023, topping $6 billion. Meanwhile, mobile sports betting made up over 80% of total legal wagers nationwide.
For tribes, this means the future is happening — fast. And the winners are going to be the ones who move first.
“We’re beyond debating if digital is the future,” Vialpando said. “Now it’s about how fast we can build teams that make it real.”
A look at what’s working — and what’s stalling
Some tribes are already deep into digital strategy, while others are still testing the waters. What’s the difference between them? Often, it’s team structure.
Here’s a look at the approaches and gaps discussed on the panel:
| Strategy | Common in Successful Tribes | Where Others Are Falling Short |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated tech innovation team | ✅ Present and active | ❌ Often blended with other departments |
| Ongoing training programs | ✅ Embedded into HR pipelines | ❌ Treated as optional add-ons |
| Cross-department collaboration | ✅ Frequent and strategic | ❌ Siloed operations |
| Partnerships with tech vendors | ✅ Vetted and balanced | ❌ Often too dependent or hands-off |
Howard noted that tech without tribal input is a recipe for cultural disconnect. “You can buy the best platform out there, but if your team doesn’t know how to use it or why it matters to your players, it’s wasted money.”
Looking ahead: What tribal gaming needs to prioritize now
Nobody at the panel claimed this shift would be simple. But they all agreed on one thing — doing nothing is no longer an option.
Vialpando’s takeaway? Tribes should stop thinking of digital gaming as a side project. It needs a seat at the big table, with dedicated budgets, leadership, and metrics to match.
Chaudhuri pushed further. He warned against waiting for “perfect clarity” in federal or state policies before acting. “You can’t wait for every piece to fall into place. Start small, build fast, learn faster.”
One sentence stood out from the entire panel. Howard looked straight into the crowd and said, “Assemble the right team, and you don’t have to chase innovation — it comes to you.”
