The Indian Gaming Association (IGA) will honor Eddie Leon Tullis, former Tribal Chairman of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, as the recipient of the 2026 Rick Hill–Tim Wapato Sovereign Warrior Award during the Sovereign Warrior Celebration Luncheon, which honors the legacy of tribal leaders advocating for sovereignty. This event will take place at the Chairman’s Leadership Luncheon on Tuesday, April 1, 2026, from 12:30 to 2:00 PM at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention at the San Diego Convention Center in California.

This signature luncheon gathers tribal leaders, industry partners, and honored guests for an impactful program that combines recognition, remembrance, and celebration of leadership throughout Indian Country.

“Eddie Tullis represents the very spirit of a Sovereign Warrior. His leadership secured federal recognition for his Tribe, his vision created opportunity for future generations, and his lifelong commitment to sovereignty has strengthened Indian Country as a whole. We are proud to honor him in front of tribal leaders from across the nation,” said Chairman Bean.

Chairman Bean added: “This luncheon is not only about recognition, but it is also about reflection. As we honor leaders like Eddie Tullis, we also remember those we have lost and recommit ourselves to the responsibility of protecting tribal sovereignty for generations to come.”

Eddie Leon Tullis is one of the most influential leaders in the history of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and Indian Country. Born in 1938 in Mobile, Alabama, he served in the United States Navy before building a 35-year career at Monsanto.

Following the passing of Chief Calvin McGhee, Tullis stepped into leadership in the early 1970s and went on to serve as Tribal Chairman and CEO for 27 years, as well as more than four decades on the Tribal Council. He led the successful effort to secure federal recognition for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in 1984, making it the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama.

Under his leadership, the Tribe established its modern government and launched its first gaming enterprises, creating a strong economic foundation that continues to support its people today. Tullis also served in national leadership roles, including as Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, and has been widely recognized for his lifelong commitment to youth and community development.

The Chairman’s Leadership Luncheon and Sovereign Warrior Celebration remains one of the most meaningful gatherings of the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention, honoring the leaders who have paved the way for tribal sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency, and the continued success of Indian gaming.

At the San Diego Convention Center, NOVOMATIC Americas advances its next chapter of linked floor expansion with a disciplined, performance-first portfolio engineered for scalable growth and measurable results. Framed within the striking atmosphere of a Neon Nile, Booth #2533 becomes a destination where structured innovation meets high-impact presentation.

At IGA (Indian Gaming Association) 2026, NOVOMATIC Americas unveils its most dynamic and performance-driven showcase to date, headlined by the expanding power of RISING TREASURES, the high engagement ULTRA BOOST 3 Treasures, and the debut of the all-new VISION LINK progressive. Anchored on the immersive DIAMOND X QUATTRO 1.55J cabinet and supported by commanding, presence-driven merchandising, the portfolio reflects a cohesive next-generation strategy designed to amplify time on device, deepen player engagement, and optimize long-term floor performance.

RISING TREASURES linked progressive series returns with renewed strength, featuring proven favorites including Book of Ra Treasure Gods, Sizzling Hot Treasure Inferno, Rise of Cleo Treasure Coins, Rise of Tut Treasure Coins, and more, all enhanced with a bold “visibility first” sign package engineered to drive attention and reinforce brand recognition across the casino floor. ULTRA BOOST 3 Treasures builds on its established momentum with Tiger Storm, Mighty Taurus, and Grand Eagle, presented in merchandising packages designed to anchor premium progressive zones and sustain high performance.

Making its exhibition debut, VISION LINK introduces engaging new themes, including Fu Flow Bao, Ghost Party, and Hot Pot, delivering dynamic bonus mechanics and a scalable progressive structure built to drive growth across tribal markets. These progressive portfolios are showcased across NOVOMATIC’s diverse cabinet lineup, including the DIAMOND X QUATTRO 1.55J, BLACK EDITION II 1.49J featuring RISING TREASURES, and the V.I.P. X Royal 1.85, presenting the VISION LINK in a premium format.

Technology partner APEX PRO Gaming complements the showcase with its premium Clover Link progressives, Clover Twist, Clover Inferno, Clover Tomb, and Clover Wave, displayed on the sleek APEX Pinnacle 43J Curve upright cabinet, reinforcing a shared commitment to elevated design and diversified premium entertainment.

The V.I.P. X Dream 3.43 cabinet features Novo Unity Pro standalone functionality, further strengthening NOVOMATIC Americas’ electronic table gaming portfolio, while the V.I.P. X Galaxy 2.65 presents a commanding blend of electronic table gaming and slot performance designed to anchor high-visibility floor space.

The expanded Novo Unity Pro solution continues to redefine electronic table gaming by seamlessly integrating live electronic games, including Sic Bo, Baccarat, Roulette, Blackjack, Blackjack 3 Hand, and slots, across multiple player stations. Featured titles such as Lucky Lady’s Roulette and Going for Gold highlight the brand’s ability to merge immersive presentation with operational efficiency, and to pair scalable technology with market-leading technical service and support.

“IGA 2026 reflects the momentum we are building at NOVOMATIC Americas. Our focus is disciplined innovation, expanding proven product lines, introducing scalable progressive platforms, and delivering technology operators can rely on. We are strengthening our performance footprint in tribal gaming with solutions designed for long term growth,” said Jakob Rothwangl, Managing Director of NOVOMATIC Americas.

Below is a joint letter from the American Gaming Association and Indian Gaming Association on addressing unregulated sports event contracts in upcoming cryptocurrency market structure legislation.

Dear Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives,

On behalf of the American Gaming Association (AGA) and the Indian Gaming Association (IGA), we write to urge timely congressional action to address the explosion of unregulated sports event contracts being offered by prediction markets. Since these contracts, that are indistinguishable from legal sports betting, were launched last January, they have grown exponentially in trading volume and have expanded beyond the outcome of single games to include complex parlays and even potential wagers on the collegiate transfer portal. This growth has occurred by exploiting regulatory inaction by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which undermines state law and tribal sovereignty and flies in the face of existing federal laws and regulation intended to protect consumers and the integrity of our nation’s financial markets. We firmly believe that congressional consideration of cryptocurrency market structure legislation provides an important, bipartisan opportunity to prevent sports betting and casino gambling under the guise of “event contracts.”

Together, our associations represent the legal regulated gaming industry in the United States that generates $329 billion in annual economic impact, produces $53 billion in tax revenue, and supports 1.8 million jobs. As one of the most highly regulated industries in the United States, licensed gaming operators work with more than 8,400 state and tribal regulators across the country to ensure our industry has transparency, integrity, strict consumer safeguards and responsible gaming practices. It’s a proven framework that ensures local control and protects players and the public while delivering billions of dollars in community benefits.

For decades, we have followed a uniquely American approach to gaming – an approach that has been the foundation of our success. This system gives the people a voice on whether and how to allow gaming, which creates a social contract between states, tribes and our industry: when we earn the privilege to enter your community, we deliver benefits in return.

In 2018, the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act and ruled that states have the right to determine whether to legalize sports betting. Since then, 39 states and the District of Columbia have done so, which in many jurisdictions has included close coordination with tribal authorities. Where sports betting has been legalized, states and tribes have set strict guardrails to ensure strong protections such as:

• Minimum betting ages (21+ in most jurisdictions)

• Licensing and suitability requirements for operators

• Anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols

• Mandatory responsible gaming resources, including self-exclusion programs

• Independent integrity monitoring and compliance audits

In contrast, several CFTC registered prediction market platforms have made self-certified event contracts available to anyone 18 and over, in all 50 states, circumventing state and tribal gaming laws and denying states and tribes hundreds of millions of dollars of critically needed revenue for schools, roads and first responders. The CFTC has not reviewed or approved any of these contracts as more entities enter the market, and their offerings get more audacious.

The CFTC’s own regulations – adopted pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) – prohibit event contracts regarding terrorism, assassination, war, gaming, or an activity that is unlawful under any State or Federal law. According to 39 state Attorneys General, these contracts are contrary to their state laws. They violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) that gives tribes exclusivity to offer gaming products on their land. Sports event contracts also violate the federal Wire Act that makes it illegal to offer sports wagers across state lines.

And while the gaming industry has focused our efforts on stopping unregulated sports wagering, we have seen a troubling proliferation of other concerning betting categories that seek to capitalize on tragedy, invite manipulation, and undermine public trust. Most recently, questions and concerns have been raised regarding contracts tied to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and ongoing armed conflicts abroad – categories that would never be permitted under state or tribal law.

These contracts are being offered in flagrant disregard of state laws, tribal sovereignty, the Commodity Exchange Act, and CFTC regulations. They mislead consumers into believing that a sports bet is an investment, fail to protect the young and the vulnerable, open the door to money laundering, match fixing and insider trading. They rob state budgets and tribal finances while simultaneously forcing states and tribes to expend massive legal resources to defend their sovereignty.

During his confirmation hearing, Chairman Selig made it clear that the CFTC would not rein in sports betting contracts under his leadership, instead deferring to the outcome of litigation that could take years to be fully resolved. However, Mr. Selig also said that the CFTC would follow Congress if they were to step in and speak on these contracts. Therefore, it is critical that Congress act swiftly to include legislative language in the cryptocurrency market structure legislation that reenforces existing law and prohibits gaming through CFTC-registered platforms. We stand ready to work with you on this issue and appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,

Bill Miller

President & CEO

American Gaming Association

David Z. Bean

Chairman

Indian Gaming Association