Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and Kambi Group PLC announced last week that they have reached an agreement. The terms of the agreement will allow Kambi the ability to offer sports betting in the state of Michigan.
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians owns and operates three Four Winds casinos in the state of Michigan, and Kambi will provide sports betting services at each of the three locations. The Four Winds casinos are offered in New Buffalo, Dowagiac, and Hartford.
The tribe has been looking at several different sports betting operators, and they chose Kambi after a thorough review process. Terms of the deal were not revealed, but the Malta-based group will now have access to a growing sports betting market in Michigan.
The New Buffalo location serves as the flagship property for the Pokagon Band, and there is a 125,000 square foot gaming floor at this location. Through this deal, Kambi will be tasked with building and operating a sportsbook at all three locations.
Kambi will install self-serve kiosks at each of the three locations, and they will also introduce their “Bring Your Own Device” bet-builder technology. This allows bettors the chance to build a bet at home, then scan a QR code once inside of the sportsbook to place a bet.
Mobile sports betting will also be included in this deal, but that will only happen after the retail sportsbooks are up and running. There is no timetable for the retail sportsbooks to open, but the process is expected to begin soon.
Kambi Looking at Indiana Now
Now that Kambi has been able to secure their entry into the state of Michigan, it appears that Indiana is the next logical step. This deal with Pokagon Gaming should open some doors for Kambi in Indiana as there is a Four Winds casino in that state as well.
The Four Winds Casino is located on tribal land near South Bend, but that location currently is unable to offer sports betting. Four Winds does not currently have a tribal compact with the state of Indiana, and that prohibits them from offering Class III gaming.
Four Winds has currently been negotiating with state leaders in Indiana in an effort to get a gaming compact signed. Any compact would have to wait until 2021, as the compacts will need approval from state legislators.
If the gaming compact is signed, look for Kambi to build a sportsbook at the Four Winds Casino in South Bend quickly, and begin taking bets through their mobile app as well.
Not their First Tribal Deal
Kambi has been busy securing partnerships with tribal nations throughout the country. Kambi is not known as a leader in the US sports betting scene, but they run many operations throughout the country.
This is the third deal that Kambi has been able to secure with tribal casinos in the last 18 months. In 2019 the company was able to secure deals with the Mohegan Sun and the Seneca Gaming Corp.
Kambi has been looking to grow its presence in the United States, and they are finding more opportunities now that several states have launched sports betting. The Midwest Region of the United States has seen plenty of growth over the last 12 months, and Kambi is looking to cash in.
Their first two deals were with tribal nations on the East Coast, and they will be operating in two huge markets. The Mohegan Sun Casino is the top gambling property in the state of Connecticut, and Kambi is set to begin its operations when the state approves sports betting.
