In more than two decades in tribal gaming, Jacob Coin has experienced many changes and challenges working with the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (formerly the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.)
A constant he sees, however, is the strength of tribal governments when they stand united to advocate for their interests.
“Ongoing collaboration and communications have enabled the state and tribal nations in California to establish gaming policy and a strongly and effectively regulated gaming environment over the past 25 years,” Coin said in an interview in advance of his appearance at SBC Summit Americas from June 9-11 in Florida.
Coin discussed that approach and how it applies to the rise of prediction markets and California and beyond:
SBC: You have worked with the San Manuel Mission Band of Indians/Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation since 2004. How have you seen the major opportunities and challenges facing tribal gaming in the United States evolve in that time?
Jacob Coin: The statutory framework for tribal government gaming was established with the enactment of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. Since then, the gaming industry overall has been altered by advancements and innovation in gaming technology, policy changes in the various state jurisdictions, and efforts by unscrupulous operators to undermine regulatory standards through unauthorized, illegal, and unregulated gambling have impacted the gaming landscape across the country.
Attempts to undermine the government gaming rights and exclusivity for casino-style gaming have been ongoing threats for many years. Illegal games conducted by card rooms have been ongoing for more than a decade. Daily Fantasy Sports is currently being conducted in California as an unauthorized, unregulated, and illegal offerings. More recently, out-of-state sports wagering operators attempted to expand the scope of gaming by sponsoring a ballot initiative in 2022. These and other efforts have directly impacted the gaming policy landscape in California. In California, voter approval via constitutional amendment is required to expand the scope of gaming. In 2000, the state’s electorate determined that a limited scope of gaming done by federally recognized Indian tribes on Indian lands was acceptable public policy. Tribal nations and the state have worked cooperatively to preserve the voter-approved gaming landscape through strong and effective regulation of casino-style gaming, protections or consumers through responsible gaming programs, and economic outputs that benefit the state and its citizens.
SBC: As a sovereign nation doing business within the United States, how can state and federal government representatives best collaborate with you on the issues facing tribal gaming in California today?
Coin: Ongoing collaboration and communications have enabled the state and tribal nations in California to establish gaming policy and a strongly and effectively regulated gaming environment over the past 25 years. Keys to a tribal gaming market that benefits Californians and facilitates responsible gaming come from ongoing collaborations. The rise of prediction markets is the most recent issue that threatens the gaming environment in California by conducting unauthorized, illegal, and unregulated gaming that is against established public policy. These activities are also a threat to tribal nations’ government gaming rights and gaming exclusivity as granted by the state’s electorate.
SBC: You spent years as executive director of the California Indian Nations Gaming Association (CNIGA). How can sovereign nations with individual interests best work together to advance common causes in gaming?
Coin: I was the executive director of CNIGA for more than four years. During that time, tribal nations’ focus on protecting their government gaming rights under federal law, and their gaming exclusivity granted by a constitutional amendment and memorialized in the tribal/state gaming compacts were important unifying factors just as they are today.
SBC: The rise of prediction markets presents new challenges in a rapidly changing regulatory environment. How can tribal governments protect their interests and determine their own future with regard to this?
Coin: Tribal nations can protect their government gaming rights and exclusivity by staying united in the fight against the proliferation of prediction markets across the country. In California, prediction markets have not been authorized by a voter-approved constitutional amendment as the state policy requires. Unless the state voters approve such an expansion of gambling, prediction markets are an unauthorized, illegal, and unregulated form of gambling under California law. As has been stated over and over, prediction markets are unregulated, do not create jobs, pay nothing in taxes to the state, and provide no protections for consumers through responsible gaming initiatives. In sum, prediction markets leave nothing of value to the state jurisdiction.
SBC: California state legislators recently banned sweepstakes gaming after opponents including tribal gaming voiced concern. Do you think we might see similar steps taken with regard to prediction markets in the future?
Coin: Litigation across the country in both state and federal courts is ongoing. Until the questions regarding legality of prediction markets are settled, state legislative action will have to wait.
Jacob Coin will appear on the From Regulation to Representation: Giving Tribes a Voice in the Future of U.S. Gaming panel at the upcoming SBC Summit Americas event.
SBC Summit Americas 2026 will take place at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale from June 9-11 and host 10,000 delegates focused on the U.S. and Latin American betting and gaming markets. Operators and affiliates are eligible for a free VIP Pass, granting you full access to all conference sessions, the show floor, and our exclusive evening networking events.
