NIGC Chair Vacancy Leaves Tribal Gaming Oversight in Limbo

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has been without a confirmed chair since the former chair’s term expired in January. President Donald Trump has not nominated a successor, and the agency’s ability to enforce federal gaming law, approve management agreements, and certify new tribal gambling statutes is effectively stalled. Without a chair, the commission cannot issue citations or order emergency closures of unsafe facilities, leaving tribes to manage large casinos without federal oversight.

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Created in 1988, the three-member NIGC regulates casino-style gambling on tribal lands and promotes economic development. Its enforcement powers are vested solely in the chairperson. The last enforcement action was issued on Jan. 12, the same day acting chairperson Sharon Avery’s term ended, after which she remained only as a commissioner. The commission declined interview requests but an emailed statement asserted that tribal officials and field staff provide “excellent regulation” despite the leadership void. A White House spokesperson later described the commission as a “valued board,” without indicating when a new nomination will occur.

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Tribal gambling generated a record $46 billion in 2025, nearly three times Nevada’s annual casino revenue. The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s new Harrah’s-branded casino in Chandler spans 175,000 sq ft and was intended to be managed by Harrah’s under a branding agreement. With the agreement stalled, the tribe’s small staff must handle day-to-day operations while also preparing budgets and social programs. Across the nation, 250 tribal governments in 29 states operate 545 gambling facilities. Industry leaders warn that the rise of online prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket could erode tribal revenues and challenge sovereignty, prompting at least eight tribes to sue those platforms for violating the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

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Steven Light, a tribal gambling law expert at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, warned that “markets function best when there’s stability and certainty around processes and rules.” James Siva of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association suggested the Trump administration’s ties to prediction-market businesses may explain the prolonged vacancy, noting the timing of the vacancy’s emergence. Shannon O’Loughlin, former NIGC chief of staff, called the current situation “uncomfortable” for the agency’s independence.

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• “We couldn’t let them in because we were so full,” — Chairman Jacob Keyes

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• “It’s discouraging. We’re paying a fee and not getting the full value,” — Jacob Keyes, chairman

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• “Markets function best when there’s stability and certainty around processes and rules,” — Light, an expert in tribal gambling law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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• “This crosses that threshold in an uncomfortable way,” — Shannon O’Loughlin

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