- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Gaming
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has amended its gaming compact with the state of Kansas, a move that will enable the tribe to begin receiving sports wagers on their lands.
Thus far, the tribe hasn't been able to participate in sports betting, which was legalized in the state in September 2022. Because tribal gaming is subject to federal jurisdiction under the Indian Gaming Regulation Act, any major changes to the tribe's array of gaming operations would need to be enacted through the compact. In the meantime, state gaming partners have had a head start, accepting sports wagers as state-owned gaming facilities and remotely.
By amending the compact, the Prairie Band of Potawatomi can join what prior Tribal Business News reporting has called an "exploding market." Sports betting — especially remote or mobile betting — has netted billions of dollars since a 2018 Supreme Court case, Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, struck down federal law preventing the practice.
Since then, legalization of sports betting has made a slow, but steady advance across the country as states and tribes both come around to a rapidly growing industry. In the wake of the amended compact, the Prairie Band plans to launch in-person and remote operations to join that new market, according to Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick.
“Approval of this compact amendment opens the door for the Nation’s gaming enterprise to enter the sports wagering market by authorizing acceptance of sports wagers on the Nation’s Indian lands. This includes in-person wagers and ultimately remote wagers placed throughout the state,” Rupnick said in a statement. “We’re grateful to the state of Kansas for working with us on this compact amendment.”
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