The Indian Gaming Association recently visited the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, hosted by Chairman Stephen W. Cope and the leadership team of Valley View Casino & Hotel in California’s San Diego County. The visit included a tour of tribal lands at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, located on San Pasqual land.
The visit was to underscore the tribe’s longstanding partnership with the San Diego Zoo and the ways “tribal land stewardship, tourism, and gaming work together to support economic growth,” according to a news release.
IGA Chairman David Z. Bean met with tribal leadership, casino management, and development partners to discuss cybersecurity preparedness, operational leadership, and the federal regulatory issues at the forefront of IGA’s work in Washington, D.C.
“This visit to San Pasqual is a powerful example of what tribal sovereignty looks like in action,” said Bean. “From the partnership with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to the success of Valley View Casino, the tribe demonstrates how diversified economic development, responsible land stewardship, and strong enterprise management support the entire community. These are the real stories we take with us to Washington as we work to protect tribal gaming.”
Bean said it is a critical part of IGA’s vision to visit tribal communities for communication, including legislative updates on priorities and advocacy efforts alongside partner tribal and industry organizations, to hear concerns and highlights of gaming properties.
“What we see here reinforces why IGA is heavily engaged in federal policy discussions right now,” Bean said. “The discussions happening at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission around predictive markets and sports wagering contracts represent what Indian Country clearly views as illegal gaming activity attempting to move outside the safeguards of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Tribes have spent decades building a lawful, highly regulated industry under IGRA. Any effort to create a side door around that framework is a direct threat to tribal sovereignty.
“When entities attempt to redefine betting contracts as financial instruments, we have to ask a simple question: who truly benefits from this activity? It is not tribal communities, not states, and not local governments. The only beneficiaries are private operators seeking to avoid the regulatory structure tribes and states have honored for decades.”
Beam said the IGA is working in coordination with sister tribal organizations, national gaming partners, and congressional offices to ensure that federal actions do not create pathways that undermine tribal rights or erode the legal foundation of Indian gaming. He also noted that the National Indian Gaming Commission has identified cybersecurity as the number one threat to tribal gaming operations nationwide.
“We have seen how ransomware and cyber incidents can shut down tribal enterprises for days,” Bean said. “That is not just an IT issue. That is an economic and sovereignty issue. These are the conversations we are having in Washington because they directly impact tribes like San Pasqual and every tribal gaming operation across the country.”
Bean also noted that the National Indian Gaming Commission has identified cybersecurity as the number one threat to tribal gaming operations nationwide.
“We have seen how ransomware and cyber incidents can shut down tribal enterprises for days,” Bean said. “That is not just an IT issue. That is an economic and sovereignty issue. These are the conversations we are having in Washington because they directly impact tribes like San Pasqual and every tribal gaming operation across the country.”
Bean reflected on the legacy of the late Ernie Stevens, Jr., whose decades of leadership shaped IGA’s advocacy for tribal sovereignty and economic self-determination.
“Chairman Stevens dedicated his life to protecting tribal gaming and ensuring tribes always had a strong voice in Washington,” Bean said. “IGA carries that responsibility forward every day. I am committed to continuing his work, honoring his legacy, and ensuring that tribal nations remain protected, respected, and heard at the federal level.”
The visit supported IGA’s broader outreach strategy to expand engagement with tribal, state, and regional organizations and to share examples of successful tribal enterprises that demonstrate the strength and diversity of Indian gaming.
“Our role is to listen to tribes, learn from what is working, and carry those lessons forward into our advocacy,” Bean added. “San Pasqual’s leadership in partnership, hospitality, and enterprise management is exactly the kind of example policymakers need to understand when they consider decisions that affect Indian Country.”
