Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. was honored at the ICE London 2023 Gaming conference in London with the ICE Landmark Award.
Chairman Stevens, named one of the gaming industry’s most influential people, received recognition for his leadership during COVID. Stevens and the Indian Gaming Association helped to protect and preserve tribal gaming and secure the vital funding needed to keep tribal casinos solvent through the worst of the pandemic on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
Upon receiving the award, Stevens said, “This recognition is an acknowledgment beyond me. It is a recognition of the outstanding commitment of our tribal leaders who guided the Indian Gaming Association in our work to secure the vital funds needed to help bring our tribal government gaming industry through the worst of the COVID pandemic.
Stevens asked the IGA representatives to join him on stage, and he shared. “It took a team beyond those who are joining tonight. Stevens added, “I must also credit the creativity and flexibility of many of our experts on the ground throughout Indian country. This is a recognition of the hundreds of thousands of Indian gaming managers, employees, and regulators at the frontlines who took temperatures, put up the dividers, wiped down machines, and did all they did to get Indian Country’s economic engines moving again. They imposed the highest standards industry-wide to stop the spread of the virus by putting the health and safety of people first.
Stuart Hunter, Managing Director of Clarion Gaming, said: “The Landmark Awards serve as recognition of the extraordinary achievements of the individuals and organizations that make up this extraordinary industry.”
Hunter explained that the recipients of these Awards have all been nominated from within the industry and labeled it an honor “to have them with us at this historic edition of what is the world’s most influential and international b2b gambling exhibition.”
The Indian Gaming Association joins other Industry professionals at ICE London 23, which includes a world of gaming representing a record 68 nations. The global distribution of the 623 exhibitors at ICE London 23 stretches from Argentina to Australia, Macau to Mexico, and Ukraine to the United States.