Sandra Patea, president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, asked Arizona legislators to scrutinize proposals to expand gaming after describing uneven revenue effects from the 2021 gaming compact.

"For Arizona tribes, our modern economic history is often framed in 2 eras, before gaming and after gaming," Patea said. She described gaming revenue as "the backbone of many tribal economies" but added that the 2021 compact "represented the largest expansion of tribal gaming in over 2 decades" and produced unequal benefits: "Tribes in or near metropolitan areas have benefited while those in the periphery like Fort McDowell have faced significant revenue declines."

Patea urged lawmakers to "first ensure that the framework is equitable and sustainable for all tribes" before approving any additional off‑reservation gaming expansions.

She also noted that the compact introduced sports betting via mobile platforms and expanded Arizona Lottery activities, signaling structural changes that some tribes see as redistributing revenue rather than growing total market value.

Patea asked legislators to consider gaming policy through the lens of tribal economic stability and parity, rather than assuming expansion uniformly benefits all nations.