For this month’s edition of the Industry Insider we spoke with Missy Stanisz, Director of Sports Wagering & iGaming for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, on her background, where she sees sports betting and iGaming heading in the future, how she is growing diversity, equity, and inclusion in her organization, and more.
You’ve spent more than a decade working in the gaming industry, specifically on the operator side. What drew you to the industry and how have you seen it change?
A career in the gaming industry was not what I had in mind specifically, until I became the first “digital” person on staff at Four Winds Casino in Michigan. Casinos were just beginning to explore the possibilities of digital communications. I had no idea how complex and exciting this industry was until I was in it, learning something new every day (I still am!).
While the excitement of change and growth in digital marketing, tech, and customer experience is what drew me to this industry, what keeps me here is why I do this. As someone that has worked exclusively in tribal gaming and tribal governments, I see the value that tribal gaming brings to tribal nations, their citizens, and their surrounding communities. My personal goal is to continue working for tribes as my career evolves.
The biggest change I have seen is interpreting massive amounts of data to customize unique messages and using digital channels on personal devices as the most trusted marketing platform. As a highly regulated industry, gaming faces more challenges than many traditional hospitality/entertainment industries. While we must remain competitive, we can be slower to adapt and get ahead of the growth in digital. We have witnessed a change in the pace of growth these past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which I believe forced us to innovate.
As a Director of Sports Wagering & iGaming, you sit at the forefront of two of gaming’s biggest growth areas. What excites you and, conversely, what worries you about the opportunity in this space?
What excites me about the rapid growth of sports betting and iGaming is that we are meeting our customers where they are and providing different options to design the experience that works best for them, as individuals. As an extension of our “experience ecosystem” – the convergence of all touchpoints with us – these new digital channels for gaming present options to engage with us in different ways, where and when they want to.
A few things concern me, one being the player experience. As the U.S. markets have opened rapidly, platform providers are still designing sportsbook experiences for existing sportsbook players. There is a large percentage of the market in the U.S. that is new to sports betting in their states. User experiences and interfaces need to be thoughtfully designed in a way that makes them approachable, accessible, and understandable for many new, inexperienced sports bettors.
A second concern I have is the online gaming industry exploded so quickly (over 30 states live with sports betting since PASPA was judicially overturned in 2018) that we are now playing catch-up to responsible gaming concerns resulting from this quick growth, including aggressive advertising and acquisition strategies.
Your casino property in California recently went through a rebranding to the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel. Can you tell us about that and what the future looks like?
Yes, San Manuel Casino not only rebranded, but expanded to a luxury resort experience. In 2021, the enterprise entered a new chapter of rebirth, having become one of Southern California’s premier destinations for gaming, entertainment, and fine dining with the renaming and rebranding of the property to Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel. Yaamava’ is the Serrano word for “the spring season.”
Beginning in the summer of 2021, the Tribe introduced the first of a three-phase expansion project in the casino, adding new slot machines (nearly 7,000 now), another high-limit gaming room, retail shops, and new bars and restaurants around the property. Then, last December, the footprint expanded to include a luxury resort with a 17-floor hotel featuring 432 guest rooms and spacious suites, an expansive pool deck with private cabanas, a full-service spa, and more dining options. Soon the property will unveil a new entertainment venue.
The completion of the resort expansion provides a way to enhance our existing player experience while attracting a new gamer looking for the pinnacle of service and luxury.
Peter Arceo, General Manager at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, and his leadership team are obsessed with experience – from the employees to the guests – and always set their sights on what’s best-in-class while keeping service at the core of all they do. Not losing focus on this continues to set them apart in the market and across the U.S. in the gaming and hospitality industry.
How are you preparing for the potential of legal sports betting in California?
As an organization, we are approaching sports betting from a few different perspectives. The top priority for the Tribe is providing a safe and fun gaming experience, a commitment they have been recognized consistently for over the past 20-plus years. As a team that puts guest experience first, we are looking for something that will enhance and not detract from our existing brick-and-mortar experience.
While we obviously do not know exactly what will be on the ballot or result from the general election in November, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians planning philosophy directs us to plan for the seven generations, so the team working on this is moving forward with intention and an extended view on sports betting.
Californians are most certainly already betting on sports through the pervasive illegal, offshore market. How can the industry migrate players to the legal market?
We know not all players will migrate from “offshore” (illegal) books but are confident that those looking for a safe experience and something to enhance their overall entertainment value are likely to transition to their favorite casino’s sportsbook to capitalize on loyalty program member benefits.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are being prioritized throughout the gaming industry. How have you helped nurture and grow these principles? Where do you see the need for improvement across the industry?
It can start small – it doesn’t always have to be a big effort. I started a women’s casual meetup breakfast group (Breakfast Club) where any and all women in the organization are welcome to attend. Whenever someone asks if they can forward on the invite, the answer is “There’s always room at this [breakfast] table.” It’s not an official work function – we just like to meet up together and get to know one another.
Beyond the invite, it’s a matter of making sure that they are noticed, welcomed, introduced, and engaged. Learning about others’ stories, experience, and lives builds a bond that promotes trust and inclusivity.
On a macro scale, the question we should be asking ourselves as an organization is not “Have we invited the right people?” but “Did we create an experience such that they really felt welcomed and valued?”
G2E is where the global gaming industry comes together to discover, connect, and explore. What new trends and technologies are you most looking for at G2E 2022?
I will refer to my earlier answer. I want to see more sportsbook experiences designed to bring in and engage new, non-traditional players. The vendors that crack this code are going to win. Second, I want to see responsible gaming integrated into the design and features of online sports betting and iGaming technologies. While we are busy mapping the user experience, testing marketing response rates, and increasing engagement, we need to always focus decisions through the lens of protecting the people that support our industry.
The Tribe’s long-standing values are rooted in caring for their community, including guests of their casino. In early April, we announced the development of the nation’s first custom tribal-values-based responsible gaming program, being developed with University of Nevada Las Vegas’s International Gaming Institute. The Tribe wants to continue its legacy of being a safe, fun entertainment experience.
As the proliferation of mobile/online gaming brings gaming to newer generations of people and provides 24/7 access, I am really hoping to see a more proactive, intentional approach by the entire industry through their technology innovations.