Ernie Stevens, Jr. talks about the Supreme Court's decision

(PRESS RELEASE) -- National Indian Gaming Association Ernie Stevens, Jr., issued the following statement after the announcement of the Supreme Court’s opinion on Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Court’s ruling on the case today determined that the federal ban on sports betting as established by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) is unconstitutional, paving the way for the legalization of sports betting in all 50 states.

“We are encouraged by today’s decision by the Supreme Court that paves the way for responsible sports betting. As a major stakeholder, the National Indian Gaming Association joins the American Gaming Association (AGA), sports leagues and law enforcement to ensure and support a safe regulatory setting, adhering to the principles set by tribes and preserving tribal rights under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and existing Tribal-State gaming compacts.

Indian country has diverse economies that will be impacted by the federal or state legalization of sports betting, and as a significant stakeholder our gaming tribes look forward to being at the table in establishing the critical regulatory framework that will minimize the negative impacts of sports betting on tribal casinos, permitting tribes to conduct sports betting in the same manner as non-tribal operators and in line with the principles established by tribes.”