At The Unit, we’re always keeping our eye out for the latest trends and innovations across the iGaming and mobile betting industry. The US is an important part of our thinking, and there are particular US states that have piqued our interest in recent times, with plans to merge the land-based and mobile betting experiences.
While seven US states have legal iGaming, regulation in this space has slowed somewhat in recent times, with regulators placing much more focus on sports betting since the overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018.
Tribal compacts
One thing that regulators often have to be mindful of with regards to regulation is how they comply with tribal gaming compacts. With close to 45% of all gaming revenue in the US being generated by tribal operators, and with more than 500 land-based casinos of varying types being operated by tribes, there can be little doubt about their level of influence in US gaming. As of the start of 2020, there were 574 federally recognised tribes in the US, and almost half of these tribes operate casinos.
The importance of a tribal gaming compact and how this has to be respected is one of the key reasons why stakeholders have so far failed to agree on how to regulate sports betting and iGaming in California. However, we are also seeing cases where tribal exclusivity is leading to great opportunities for those tribes and their partners.
Two states we are keeping an eye on are Oklahoma and Wisconsin; both states have tribal gaming compacts. In Oklahoma, 139 of the 141 casinos in the state are owned by tribes, while in Wisconsin, all 25 casinos in the state are tribal. Sports betting is not legal in Oklahoma, while Wisconsin does have legal live sports betting, with mobile sports betting restricted to when players are located on reservations and in casinos.
New partnership types
While land-based and mobile gaming experiences have often been seen as two entirely separate entities, a current trend, partially driven by legislation, is one where the two forms of gaming can co-exist in the same environment.
Last December, Anaxi, Aristocrat’s online real-money gaming division, announced the launch of a mobile-on-premise solution for tribal gaming operators looking to enhance entertainment experiences, while also announcing a partnership with WinStar World Casino and Resort in Oklahoma, operated by Chickasaw Nation. While Oklahoma is not one of the US states that has fully-regulated iGaming, this is something WinStar is able to provide as one of 23 casinos owned and operated by the tribe.
This was followed by Potawatomi Casino Hotel’s announcement in May that it is in the process of developing a mobile app to enhance its sports betting offerings. The casino, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is operated by the Potawatomi tribe. The app will allow patrons to place bets from anywhere within the casino, and is expected to launch in early 2025.
This can open up opportunities for high-profile international operators and suppliers, as we have already seen with Aristocrat in Oklahoma. There is potential for more casinos in the state to open up to this type of opportunity, so it’s certainly one for the market to be aware of.
This is an interesting development of the player experience, which still allows tribes to hold their exclusivity on the market. The player can enjoy the benefits of the speed of play online, while still making the most of the atmosphere of the live casino and having the opportunity to play table games at the same time. Land-based casinos may already operate sports-betting kiosks, but this solution is even more convenient.
How The Unit can help
Part of the reason for our interest in this area is that we believe we can use our experience and expertise to ensure these particular products are presented to customers to the highest possible quality they can be. We’ve forged a reputation for designing and developing robust, scalable platforms for online betting, iGaming, and sportsbook operators to deliver a seamless user experience, which would make us a strong fit for this project.
We are also known for creating native iOS and Android applications tailored to the specific needs of clients to enhance engagement, user experience and monetisation opportunities. The team will collaborate with clients to brainstorm ideas, identify opportunities, and conceptualise innovative software solutions.
Without going into specifics, we are in talks with some tribal operators about how we can assist with the development of these apps, and we’re very excited about this opportunity should it come to fruition.
Developing robust frontend interfaces and scalable backend architecture is part of what we offer, to ensure optimal performance and user experience. We can provide bespoke software development services to address unique business requirements and challenges.
Cross-selling opportunities
These apps will bring some unique features to players and will help the casinos cross-sell products. They could potentially offer things like discounts on meals within the casino if the player wins on a particular game within the app, and players could also exchange their online winnings for chips when they make their way over to the table games.
Again, this can tie in with what we can offer. Our team of experienced developers, designers, and other technical professionals will augment clients’ internal teams and support project development and delivery. We will create prototypes and proof-of-concept solutions to validate ideas and demonstrate functionality before full-scale development.
Discussions are still at a very early stage, and even after launch, there will be plenty of room for these apps to develop, so it will be very exciting to see where they can go and how they can make improvements to the playing experience.
