The Indian Gaming Association is holding its Mid-Year Conference & Expo in mid-September in Washington state. They'll be talking about cannabis and green energy, as well as how AI can be used in gaming operations.

The conference is set to welcome around 500 tribal leaders and members from September 16th to 18th at the Tulalip Resort Casino. Tribes will discuss the challenges they're facing at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas in October. Victor Rocha said that the mid-year conference has a higher ratio of tribal leaders and is designed for them to connect and it's a well-known fact in the business that if you want to get close to the industry, the mid-year is the place to go.

Rocha said there are session themes for each of the three days, which fit into an overall theme for tribes looking ahead to their future.

Outline of the Conference 

The plan for this year is a little different from what has been before. They also added a couple of new tracks and gave them our full support when it comes to green energy and cannabis.

Opening day: Cannabis’ Benefits

On opening day, we'll be looking at 10 years of cannabis in Washington. We'll see how it's grown into a thriving industry and a fight for tribal sovereignty. The sessions will look at what's been done well so far and how we can keep working together to give tribal nations a stronger economy. "The tribes in California are on the sidelines, but the state is working with the tribes in Washington," Rocha said. “My aim was to explore these new areas for tribes as a way of diversifying their activities.”

On day one, we'll be celebrating 10 years, looking at how state compact negotiations affect gaming licenses, exploring cannabis banking solutions, and discussing the role of cannabis in health and healing.

"My goal was to show that gaming tribes are doing this in Washington. Many tribes haven't done it elsewhere because it's not clear what's allowed, especially with the classification of it as a Class I drug," Rocha said. "I want tribes to see this as a real chance to diversify."

Day two: Green Energy, a New Technology

On day two, there'll be sessions on green energy, looking at renewable energy projects in Native American communities. Experts and tribal leaders will share their insights on successful solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass projects that have helped boost the economy and promote sustainability. There'll be sessions on tribal energy sovereignty, green-energy financing and possibilities, and new and emerging technologies.

"This came from our annual conference in Anaheim, where we're seeing more tribes moving into green energy, especially with the Biden Administration putting all of this green-energy money on the table," Rocha said. "But the tribes have been a little slower to adapt than you'd expect." I thought we'd all be using green energy by now, but that's not the case. "I think it would be great for tribes to look into green energy and all the opportunities it offers."

Day Three: Integrating AI for Effectiveness

On day three, the focus is on how AI can be used in gaming operations. The sessions will look at how AI is changing the game. Participants will get the ins and outs of how AI is used in casinos to make things more efficient, give customers a better experience and a great variety of casino bonuses, and make sure everything is above board.

The agenda also includes a session on data protection in AI-powered tribal casinos, along with the security and privacy issues that come with it. There are also sessions on how AI is going to affect the future of casino marketing, how it's going to revolutionize casino operations, and how it's going to affect efficiency, security, and player engagement.

"These aren't panels, but presentations about where I think the industry is headed," Rocha said. "These are smaller shows," Rocha said. The annual IGA has around 8,000 attendees, but this event gets 300 to 500 people.

Rocha is looking forward to the tribal topics that will be covered at G2E, which is expected to include sports betting, cybersecurity, online gaming, diversification, regulatory issues, human trafficking, new federal gaming-compact rules, and how a Supreme Court decision affects regulations. There'll be sessions on cashless, tribes moving into commercial gaming, and the presidential election and its impact.

Next Year’s Agenda and the Online World

As fall rolls around, Rocha says tribes are feeling optimistic about the current working relationship with the Biden Administration. They're hoping that approach will continue into the next Administration.

Rocha said that both the mid-year and G2E are "forward-looking" in terms of the educational agendas. Just three years ago, tribes couldn't even talk about online gaming. Now it's front and center. Online casinos have made a great break into the online gaming world, and rustworthy casinos like Bison casino offer various gambling possibilities for players. 

"I'm putting together the agenda for the IGA next year (March 31 to April 3 in San Diego), and it's going to be about interactive wagering," Rocha said. The theme is all about the future of Indian gaming and what's next. It's about helping tribes feel more comfortable with online gaming, interactive wagering, sweepstakes, and daily fantasy sports betting.