Unauthorized sports betting activities on Cayuga Nation territory in New York cease following shutdown of illicit operations
In the heart of Cayuga County, New York, the Cayuga Nation has been proactively addressing illegal sports betting activities on their reservation. The Native American tribe, represented by attorney David Burch, has reached out to mobile betting operations, including FanDuel and DraftKings, to discuss the matter.
The Cayuga Nation's reservation, which spans from Cayuga and Montezuma to just north of Aurora, includes several towns and the village of Union Springs. The reservation is not specified as a legal area for mobile sportsbook operations.
The issue came to light when a local resident, living within the Cayuga Nation's reservation, tipped off The Citizen about the inaccessibility of mobile sportsbooks. Until recently, users within the reservation had been able to use these services, but this appears to have changed following the Cayuga Nation's report of illegal operations.
The Cayuga Nation has taken successful legal actions against unauthorized gambling activities on its land. A federal court has allowed the Nation's lawsuit against New York State regarding illegal Class III gaming, including lottery operations, on tribal land to proceed. This decision affirms the Nation’s rights under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and rejects a motion to dismiss by the state.
While the Cayuga Nation has reported that mobile sportsbooks, including FanDuel and DraftKings, have ceased illegal operations on their reservation, a complete stoppage of these activities has not been conclusively documented as of August 2025. FanDuel reportedly ceased operations following a request from the Cayuga Nation, indicating some measure of direct impact on unauthorized operators. However, DraftKings’ involvement relates more to settlements outside the Cayuga land dispute.
The legal battle with New York State continues, and it remains to be seen whether the Cayuga Nation will be able to fully halt illegal sports betting operations by these companies on their reservation.
New York launched mobile sports betting in 2022, and the inability of users within the Cayuga Nation's reservation to access these services may be a result of the Cayuga Nation's report of illegal operations. The Nation has also informed mobile betting operations about the laws and requirements regarding mobile betting operations on their reservation.
As the situation continues to develop, the Cayuga Nation's efforts to assert its sovereignty and ensure the legality of activities within its borders serve as a significant step towards protecting its land and its people.
- The Cayuga Nation, being proactive about illegal sports betting activities on their reservation, has reached out to mobile sports betting companies like FanDuel and DraftKings, suggesting their reservation may not be a legal area for mobile sportsbook operations.
- The ongoing legal battle between the Cayuga Nation and New York State could potentially lead to a full halt of illegal sports betting operations by companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings on the Cayuga Nation's reservation, thus ensuring the legality of activities within their borders.
