The National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) has announced that it will be utilizing its upcoming Winter Meeting in California to shed more light on the processes behind the creation and renegotiation of tribal-state gaming compacts.

The organization comprised of legislators from states that currently host gaming operations used an official Tuesday press release to detail that its Winter Meeting is set to be held from January 10 to 12 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and will kick off with a keynote address from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Robert Zahradnik.

Compact consideration:

The NCLGS explained that its three-day Winter Meeting is to be open to the public and will feature a Friday session examining gaming compacts due to involve Susan Jensen from the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, Cody Martinez, Chairman for the federally-recognized Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, and Katherine Spilde from San Diego State University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Multiple meetings:

The body stated that its California event will moreover encompass six legislative-chaired committee sessions that are to focus on numerous topics including commercial and tribal casinos, lotteries, responsible gaming and the regulatory, legal and operational aspects of sportsbetting.

Important influence:

Florida State Senator Perry Thurston serves as the Chairman for the NCLGS’ Committee on Indian Gaming and used the press release to declare that some 29 states currently play host to tribal casino operations with the sector annually worth approximately $34 billion. The Democratic legislator furthermore proclaimed that aboriginal gaming is value at about $9 billion in California alone and could soon expand via the addition of iGaming and sportsbetting.

Read a statement from Thurston…

“Indian gaming is best positioned to achieve important goals for communities when legislators and tribal leaders work together in forged partnerships. That is what we learned in Florida and other states and that is what we are striving for at the NCLGS.”

Further explorations:

The NCLGS furthermore pronounced that its Winter Meeting is to feature a masterclass from the International Masters of Gaming Law focusing on the legal and regulatory trends of tribal-state gaming compacts alongside a second such event looking into issues concerning the rapid rise of sportsbetting across the United States.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, the organization asserted that the upcoming gathering is to also witness a pair of Sunday general session panel discussions, Thursday and Friday receptions and a Saturday tour of the nearby Pechanga Resort Casino alongside an opening day address from Bill Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer for the American Gaming Association.