Heart added that he wants the state to make an exception that would allow the tribes to earmark sports betting tax revenue for tribal water projects. “And since this has been passed in 2019, we’ve lost that much money with sports betting.” Tribes do not pay state taxes on their gaming revenue.

Under Proposition DD, sports betting tax revenue is collected by the state and the majority of it is earmarked for water projects. Under federal law, the tribes are required to use gambling proceeds for tribal services. Heart said there are conflicts between state and federal law. “They never even talked to us,” Baker told The Colorado Sun. Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart and Southern Ute Chairman Melvin Baker said neither tribe was consulted when the legislature in 2019 referred a measure to the ballot that year, Proposition DD, asking voters to approve sports betting. The chairmen said in-person sports betting is allowed at the tribes’ respective casinos – the Ute Mountain Casino Hotel in Towaoc and the Southern Ute Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio – but that the tribes haven’t been able to offer online sports betting like other casinos in the state. The chairmen of Colorado’s two Native American tribes asked the legislature Wednesday in speeches at the Capitol to change the state’s sports betting laws so that they can cash in on the multibillion dollar industry. 11, 2022, to address a joint session of the legislature.

Southern Ute Chairman Melvin Baker, right, and Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart are welcomed into the Colorado House chambers on Wednesday, Jan.

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