The Saskatchewan government and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) have extended the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority’s (SIGA) exclusive rights to operate regulated online gaming in the province until September 2029.
The three-year extension comes as part of recent amendments to Saskatchewan’s Gaming Framework Agreement (GFA). The updated agreement also approves a new gaming centre pilot project on the Flying Dust First Nation, located adjacent to Meadow Lake.
The pilot project allows for up to 49 slot machines on the reserve, increasing SIGA’s total provincial allocation to 2,619 machines. First Nation leaders plan to integrate the gaming facility into a broader commercial vision that includes a new hotel, conference centre, and strip mall.
“Our government has built a successful gaming industry in Saskatchewan in partnership with the FSIN through good-faith negotiation and incremental change,” said Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron welcomed both the extension and the new northwest Saskatchewan development, noting that gaming revenues benefit First Nations province-wide.
“The project will be an important part of a new hotel development that will better serve the people of Meadow Lake and northwest Saskatchewan,” Cameron said. “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.”
First signed in 2002, the GFA governs First Nations casino developments and economic arrangements in Saskatchewan. The agreement requires periodic reviews every five years.
SIGA launched PlayNow.com in November 2022. It remains Saskatchewan’s only legally regulated online gaming platform.