CNIGA Chairman James Siva: Senate Vote Is a Victory for Tribal Sovereignty and Lawful Gaming

Press Release
For Immediate Release

Contact: James May
(916) 754-7540
[email protected]

CNIGA Chairman James Siva: Senate Vote Is a Victory for Tribal Sovereignty and Lawful Gaming

Failure to advance CLARITY Act gives Congress an opportunity to address the prediction market loophole

September 15, 2026

Sacramento, CA -California Nations Indian Gaming Association Chairman James Siva issued the following statement after the CLARITY Act failed to secure the votes necessary to advance the legislation in the U.S. Senate:

"Today's vote is an important victory for Tribal Nations and for everyone who believes that new technology should not be used to evade common-sense gaming laws.

For months, Tribal leaders have warned Congress that the CLARITY Act, as drafted, did not close a backdoor for prediction market companies to offer sports betting and casino-style gaming outside the federal, state and Tribal laws that govern lawful gaming. Today, a critical mass of senators listened to those concerns and refused to allow the bill to advance. We thank those Senators for standing firm against massive technology platforms trying to get their way.

Tribal Nations have spent decades working with leaders in Congress and state governments to build a carefully regulated gaming system through federal law, Tribal-state compacts and government-to-government agreements. Prediction market companies should not be allowed to use a technology label or regulatory loophole to bypass this framework. A sports bet by another name is still a sports bet.

But today's vote does not solve the underlying problem.

Prediction market companies continue to push into gaming markets while evading many of the laws, safeguards and obligations that apply to lawful gaming operators. Congress and federal regulators still need to address that loophole directly.

This vote gives Congress another opportunity to get this right. Any future version of the CLARITY Act or similar legislation must protect IGRA, preserve Tribal-state compacts and make unmistakably clear that digital-asset or commodities law cannot be used to circumvent federal, state or Tribal gaming laws.

Tribal Nations made our concerns clear. Today, the Senate heard us. Now the work continues."

About the California Nations Indian Gaming Association
The California Nations Indian Gaming Association is a non-profit association of 58 federally recognized tribal governments dedicated to the protection of tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of tribes to have gaming on Indian lands.

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