The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, has launched a new social casino product powered by Betconstruct, with the deal also allowing for the supplier to provide sports betting technology to the tribe’s non-profit igaming solutions arm GreySnow Group.
The social platform is integrated with the tribe’s land-based loyalty program, allowing it to engage and retain players when they are off-property. The Iowa tribe currently operates two land-based casinos, Cimmaron Casino and Ioway Casino, as well as a travel plaza with slot machines, in the state.
Cimmaron Casino general manager Stephan Burris said the venue was excited to partner Betconstruct to roll out its new social casino product.
“We want our patrons to be familiar with what we believe will be a big part of the future of casino entertainment,” Burris explained. “This application offers a small example of what’s to come while further enhancing our relationships with our patrons through rewards and direct marketing.”
This new agreement will also see Betconstruct provide GreySnow Group with its sportsbook technology, once legislation allowing for the launch of legal betting passes. This builds on an existing agreement with GreySnow, to provide online poker software.
“We are pleased to partner with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma with our social casino solution,” Betconstruct USA regional director Anna Shahbazyan said. “The GreySnow Group are a long-lasting partner of BetConstruct and we look forward also to deploying our sports betting system once the regulation is in place.
“Meanwhile we will work with them to engage and increase their patron base by stimulating the frequency of on-property visits and cross promoting online/offline channels.”
While the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) – of which the Iowa Tribe is a member – maintains that legislative changes must be made before sports betting can be rolled out, two tribes are pushing ahead with efforts to launch legal wagering.
The Otoe-Missouria Tribe and Comanche Nation agreed new tribal gaming compacts with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt in April this year, which would facilitate the launch of sports betting at each tribe’s properties.
However, the OIGA has disputed the validity of these agreements, going as far as to suspend the tribes’ membership for the remainder of the year. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter has also publicly urged state officials not to ratify the compacts, claiming Stitt does not have the authority to approve deals covering products that are prohibited under state law, such as sports betting.
Despite this, the US Department of the Interior ratified the compacts, in theory allowing each tribe to start taking bets as soon as the compacts are added to the US Federal Register.