Zona de Azar Spain – Exclusive Interview with Ernest L. Stevens Jr., Director of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin

Spain.- February 11th 2025 www.zonadeazar.com At ICE Barcelona 2025, one of the most significant events in the gaming industry, we spoke with Ernest Stevens Jr., Director of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the leading spokesperson for the tribal gaming industry in the United States.

During the interview, Stevens highlighted the scale of ICE and the impact of the tribal gaming industry—an industry that generates $41.9 billion, 300,000 direct jobs, and a total of 700,000 jobs.

With tribal representatives from across the United States and beyond, Stevens emphasized the sector’s commitment not only to gaming but also to economic development, cybersecurity, and global expansion.

“We are here to show the world what we can do and to say that we are ready to do business,” he stated.

Below is the full transcript of our conversation.

What are your expectations for ICE Barcelona?

My expectations have already been met. Just thinking that I can walk into a place with 55,000 people is incredible. Being able to showcase what we do in Native America and the initiatives we are carrying out in our country and around the world is truly meaningful.

Indian Gaming is one of the most important gaming industries in the world, and we are here to showcase it on a global level—something that excites us greatly. And again, 55,000 people, and we are part of that.

We have Native American representatives from all over the United States and different parts of the world. The tribal gaming industry is a $41.9 billion industry. We recovered after the pandemic and continue working alongside our communities. We generate 300,000 direct jobs, and that number expands within the community, multiplying through related businesses. In total, our industry employs 700,000 people.

We are doing incredible things not only for Native America but also for the United States as a whole. We are truly excited about it. But the next step is to expand globally, and we are here today to show the world what we can do and to say that we are ready to do business.

For Zona de Azar, I am Ernest Stevens Jr., Chairman and chief spokesperson for the tribal gaming industry in the United States.

I represent sovereign tribes in the United States, which form a major casino industry, but our impact goes far beyond gaming. We are driving significant projects in economic development, cybersecurity, and other sectors.

Everything we can do, we want to share with the world, and that is why we are here.

Once again, Chairman Stevens, representing the tribal gaming industry in the United States.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com