In Canada and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the Six Nations of the Grand River have announced the signing of a ‘mutual cooperation agreement on gaming’ as part of an effort to defend their associated rights and any resultant socioeconomic benefits.

The pair used an official Tuesday press release to declare that the deal ‘facilitates a memorandum of understanding between each community’s gaming regulatory bodies’ so as to allow these watchdogs to immediately begin discussing ‘potential mutually beneficial opportunities in the iGaming industry.’

Prominent players:

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake is responsible for the well-known Mohawk Online Limited enterprise while the Six Nations of the Grand River, which incorporates Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Tuscarora and Seneca peoples, receives compensation due to the fact that southern Ontario’s Elements Casino Brantford venue sits on a plot of its hereditary lands known as the Nathan Gage Tract.

Ambitious aim:

Mark Hill serves as the Chief for the Six Nations of the Grand River and he used the press release to proclaim that the understanding ‘signifies an important milestone’ as First Nation peoples from across Canada ‘come together to address our collective concerns.’ The leader asserted that the pact is to moreover see the pair ‘begin collaborative work on legal, political and public relation strategies’ in order to protect their gaming industry interests in advance of inaugurating ‘a national body of indigenous gaming regulators.’

Read a statement from Hill…

“This type of partnership is the first step in demonstrating the possibilities of what we can achieve as Iroquois communities if we work together. We are much stronger not as individuals but as a collective and these relationships will strengthen us as we assert our rights and jurisdiction within the gaming industry and beyond.”

Recent resentment:

For her part and the Chief for the Mohawk Council of Kahnawwake, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, explained that both nations were frustrated by the passage of federal legislation in June that allows commercial iGaming firms across Canada to begin offering single-game online sportsbetting. The 42-year-old pronounced that this move ‘effectively shut out First Nations by willfully ignoring the legitimate interests of indigenous peoples in the gaming industry’ and will see her own tribe miss out on any resultant socio-economic benefits due to the closure of access ‘to one of its largest local markets.’

A statement from Sky-Deer read…

“We are pleased to revitalize relations and strengthen our alliance with our brothers and sisters. Renewal of this long-standing relationship founded on nationhood is the first step needed to strengthen our joint efforts in defending our interests and maintaining a stronghold in the gaming industry and other key areas we identify in the future.”