Government and FSIN Extend SIGA's Online Exclusivity and Announce Gaming Centre Pilot

The Government of Saskatchewan and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) have amended their Gaming Framework Agreement (GFA) to extend online gaming exclusivity for the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) in Saskatchewan to September 2029 and allow for a gaming centre pilot project.

"Our government has built a successful gaming industry in Saskatchewan in partnership with the FSIN through good-faith negotiation and incremental change," Minister Responsible for Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan Jeremy Harrison said. "Through the GFA and its various amendments, the gaming sector provides significant First Nations employment and supports economic development on- and off-reserve, while funding education, housing and many other priorities. Revenue-sharing arrangements agreed to in the GFA mean that both the province and First Nations in Saskatchewan have a vested interest in the success of the gaming sector."

The gaming centre pilot is approved to have up to 49 slot machines and will be on Flying Dust First Nation. The gaming centre is expected to be part of a much larger commercial development proposed by the First Nation that envisions a strip mall, hotel and conference centre.

"We welcome the three-year extension of SIGA's operation of Saskatchewan's only licensed and regulated online gaming platform, which reflects SIGA's strong leadership and successful operation of the platform," FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said. "We also welcome the creation of the gaming centre pilot project on Flying Dust First Nation. The project will be an important part of a new hotel development that will better serve the people of Meadow Lake and northwest Saskatchewan. Importantly, the benefits of this growth will extend beyond the host community, with the First Nations' share of gaming profits distributed equitably among Saskatchewan First Nations throughout Treaty 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 territories."

Approved by the Government of Saskatchewan and by the Chiefs in Assembly, the latest amendments to the GFA also increase SIGA's slot machine allocation by 49 to a total of 2,619 machines.

The GFA lays out the terms for First Nations gaming development in the province, including the operation of First Nations casinos. Signed in 2002, the GFA requires a review by both parties every five years or sooner, with changes implemented through amending agreements.

PlayNow.com, operated by SIGA, remains the only legal online gaming platform in the province. Launched in Saskatchewan in November 2022, PlayNow has been steadily growing in profitability, despite heavy competition from illegal platforms.