Hard-fought deals for casinos gave many tribes a critical economic lifeline. When the doors opened to widespread sports betting, others wanted in on the gambling business.
For decades, gambling has been the most important source of income for hundreds of Native American tribes. Now, in many parts of the country, the rapid spread of sports betting and online wagering is threatening to crimp that economic lifeline.
In Florida, the powerful Seminole tribe forged a lucrative deal to exclusively offer sports betting in the state, only to have the deal blocked by a lawsuit from casino companies.
In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, one tribe saw its gambling revenue decline sharply last year because of chaos in the online betting business.