The Cayuga Nation has filed a federal lawsuit against American Wagering, Inc., which operates Caesars Sportsbook, alleging the company illegally offered mobile sports betting services within the boundaries of the Nation’s reservation.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and seeks damages, a declaration that Caesars’ operations on Nation lands were unauthorized, and an accounting of revenue allegedly generated from wagers placed within the reservation.
According to the complaint, Caesars accepted sports bets from individuals physically located on the Cayuga Nation reservation without obtaining authorization from the Nation, securing a federally approved tribal-state gaming compact, or complying with tribal gaming regulations.
The Nation argues that under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, it maintains exclusive authority to regulate gaming activities on its lands.
“Sovereignty means the right to regulate and protect our own lands and our people,” said Cayuga Nation representative Clint Halftown in a statement announcing the lawsuit. Halftown alleged Caesars violated federal and Cayuga Nation laws by operating within reservation boundaries without authorization.
In addition to claims related to gaming operations, the lawsuit alleges Caesars violated the federal Lanham Act by representing that its sportsbook was lawfully available throughout New York while failing to disclose restrictions that apply to gaming on tribal lands.
The Cayuga Nation is asking the court to award damages and issue an order declaring Caesars’ mobile sportsbook operations on reservation lands unlawful.
Nation officials said the lawsuit follows earlier efforts to address what they describe as unauthorized mobile gaming activity within the reservation. The Nation noted that other mobile sportsbook operators had ceased operations on reservation lands after previous enforcement efforts and said it would continue pursuing legal action against companies it believes are violating federal and tribal gaming laws.
“The Nation will not hesitate to take action against any operator that violates federal law and the Nation’s sovereignty,” Halftown said.
Caesars Sportsbook had not publicly responded to the lawsuit as of Wednesday afternoon.
