VGW has announced a landmark conditional partnership with the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation of the Cortina Rancheria tribe in California as of today, August 18.
This agreement, made with the Kletsel Economic Development Authority (KEDA), allows the popular social gaming operator to collaborate with the tribe’s economic arm to provide free-to-play online social gaming platforms, including sweepstakes promotions, across California.
This collaboration comes at a time when discussions are heating up around AB 831, a bill aiming to ban sweepstakes casinos. Various state tribes, including co-sponsors Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), and the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN), are actively in support of the proposed law.
In light of this, VGW has been engaging with stakeholders who oppose the bill, expressing concerns about the potential negative effects on suppliers and local businesses in California. The Australian-based operator went on to call the new partnership historic, emphasizing its commitment to community engagement and responsible business practices.
“Our focus is on respectful engagement”
Speaking on the partnership, Laurence Escalante, founder and CEO of VGW, stated, “We’ve operated in North America for more than a decade, creating not only great games, user experiences and entertainment but ensuring this is done safely, responsibly and at the highest level of standards — in line with our core value of ‘we do what’s right’.
“But we acknowledge that as our business and innovative industry has grown, external interest in what we do has increased, including how we support and engage in the communities where we operate. We take corporate social responsibility seriously and are thrilled to have found a tribal partner like KEDA.
“We also welcome KEDA’s opposition to AB 831. As we’ve previously said, our focus is on respectful engagement with legislators and calling for the establishment of modern, appropriate regulatory structures that can benefit players and states alike — not rushed, flawed legislation with unintended consequences being pushed by parties with clear vested interests like AB 831.”
KEDA Urges State to Reject AB 831
KEDA CEO Eric Wright recently addressed California’s Senate Appropriations Committee, stressing how digital platforms could significantly benefit tribal communities by addressing urgent needs such as healthcare, housing, education, food security, and social programs.
Wright pointed out that the proposed bill does not have unanimous support from California tribes and has advanced without adequate consultation with many of them.
He warned that this legislation threatens the tribes’ fundamental right to establish legitimate revenue sources that support their communities, stating, “This bill lacks unanimous support among California tribes, has advanced without meaningful consultation with many of us, and threatens our inherent right to create legitimate revenue streams to support our people.”
“For tribes like ours, far from high-traffic tourism corridors, geography has always limited traditional economic development. Large, well-established gaming tribes already benefit from these geographic advantages and decades of success. It is self-serving for them to advocate for policies that restrict emerging digital commerce opportunities for others, effectively holding smaller and less-advantaged tribes’ hostage to their location.”
“Eliminating lawful, regulated digital opportunities will deepen these disparities, reduce self-sufficiency, and undermine the State’s commitment to economic justice for all tribes. We urge the Committee to reject AB 831 and work toward legislation that expands, not restricts, opportunity for every tribal nation.”
Source: NEXT.io
