TORONTO — There is a significant growth of First Nation ownership in gaming across Canada, which Chief Paul Rice, Council Chief, Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, emphasises will benefit the industry as a whole.
Speaking at the SBC Summit Canada, Rice expressed his belief that a surge in partnerships “won’t dilute the importance of sovereignty and the inherent right to gaming.”
This level of collaboration will benefit the progression of the industry tremendously, according to Rice, as he laid out the roadmap for the future of the sector.
“I’m a free market guy, and I’m a sovereignty guy. If you want to see an explosion in gaming, it needs to be led by First Nations,” Rice told the audience.
First Nation operation and ownership
For the gaming sector to have the most beneficial impact on the Canadian economy, the data and the tech should be owned by First Nations, emphasised Rice.
He predicted that if the industry and regulators enhance, promote, and support First Nation sovereignty in gaming moving forward immediately, then the next decade will see an explosion in gaming.
Michael Peters, Chief Executive Officer, Glooscap Ventures, detailed that this explosion is very much already being seen across the West of Canada.
He predicted that this is only going to increase upon the opening of “more opportunities across the west, and hopefully someday move towards the east as well. In a few years, you’re going to see a lot of involvement and a lot of benefits going back to our communities.”
Finding the right partners key
Peters also highlighted that partnerships have been “very important” for their growth and evolution.
“We are aligned in what we do. It makes us stronger when we’re together and we’re united in trying to diversify our economic development, our resources to make ourselves more independent at home, and one of those ways is becoming financially independent from the government,” Peters said.
Michael Tobin, Founder & CEO, Continent8, stated his belief that diversification should be a crucial focus for all stakeholders in the space as he emphasised that “sovereignty goes far beyond data, it is about people and cultures.”
Safety first for players
Balancing player safety and the economic opportunity is extremely important for the First Nations, underpinned Rice.
He emphasised that they have the data available and the systems in place to ensure player safety. The approach to player safety has a real human element, as they retain pride in keeping percentages low.
Rice also praised the significant economic impact that accompanies the industry and the way they reinvest money back into their tight-knit community.
He stated: “We reinvest that, not just in the infrastructure, but there are a lot of cars on those highways. We need services for our members, so if there’s, if there’s a multi-car accident on that highway, every peacekeeper, every first responder, the fire brigade is on notice, they’re all focusing on that, right, and those cars are there, no matter what.
“They have to, they’re traveling between Montreal and the fastest growing demographic in Canada, which is the South Shore of Montreal. So we take the gaming money, and we train and hire more peacekeepers.
“We take the gaming money, we get more ambulances and more first responders.”
