Indigenous regulators strike deal aimed at boosting cooperation
The Kahnawàke Gaming Commission (KGC) and the Six Nations Gaming Commission (SNGC) have renewed their long-standing partnership, signing a new Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening Indigenous gaming regulation across both land-based and online gambling.
The agreement replaces an earlier MOU signed in 2014 and commits both gambling regulators to closer cooperation as the Six Nations Gaming Commission develops its own online gaming regulatory framework.
Under the agreement, the SNGC will establish regulations informed by, and compatible with, the KGC’s longstanding regulatory model. The KGC has also agreed to provide practical assistance in helping build a sustainable gaming regulatory system for both online and land-based gambling.
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The two commissions said the partnership forms part of a broader relationship that will include future cooperation, reciprocal arrangements and additional initiatives to be agreed between both parties.
KGC Chairperson Heather Bauersfeld described the agreement as a significant moment for both Indigenous communities.
“This is a historic milestone for each of our Communities,” she said. “We are proud of our accomplishments in the field of Indigenous gaming regulation, all based on our own laws and regulations, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Six Nations Gaming Commission.”
The renewed agreement comes as both regulators celebrate their 30th anniversaries.
The Kahnawàke Gaming Commission was established in June 1996 under the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Law, while the Six Nations Gaming Commission was created the following month by the Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council.
Over the past three decades, both commissions have independently regulated gaming within their respective territories, with a focus on player protection, integrity and fair play.
SNGC Chairperson Mark Hill said governments in Canada, Ontario and Québec had been slow to recognise the achievements of Indigenous gaming regulators despite repeated attempts at engagement.
“It is regrettable that, despite numerous efforts to engage them in a dialogue about gaming, Canada, Ontario and Québec have been reluctant to acknowledge our achievements in the gaming industry and the benefits it has produced for our Communities,” he said.
“However, working closely with the KGC, we remain optimistic that in the spirit of Nation-to-Nation discussions, solutions will be found.”
The Kahnawàke Gaming Commission is regarded as one of North America’s longest-established Indigenous gaming regulators and has played a significant role in licensing and regulating online gaming businesses for nearly three decades. The new agreement signals that the Six Nations Gaming Commission is looking to build upon that experience as it expands its own regulatory framework into the online gambling sector.
