Caesars Entertainment Uses Seminole's Legal Argument to Dismiss New York Tribe's Lawsuit

Caesars Entertainment has moved for a dismissal of a federal lawsuit brought by the Cayuga Nation Tribe over offering mobile sports betting on tribal land. The tribe claims that Caesars is violating the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

Caesars is using the same argument crafted by the Seminole Tribe of Florida to dismiss the lawsuit. The company has moved to have the suit thrown out, citing a previous federal ruling in Florida. That ruling dictated that betting occurs where a gaming entity’s servers are located. The court ruled the tribe could serve the entire state as long as its servers were on tribal property.

Caesars is now making a similar argument in New York. The company states that bets made anywhere in the state, including on tribal lands, is legal because its servers are on its properties. The company also claims that New York took that stance when it legalized sports betting. The Cayuga Nation has until Sept. 22 to respond, and Caesars would then have until Sept. 29 to reply. Caesars geofenced Cayuga National lands after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the tribe in 2025. The tribe has a similar legal action against the state over online lottery sales on its land.