Jerad Swimmer, Regional Sales Director at Continent 8 Technologies, explores the remarkable surge in tribal gaming revenues and its implications for cybersecurity.

The year 2023 marked a significant milestone in the tribal gaming industry, with revenues reaching an all-time high of $41.9 billion USD, according to the National Indian Gaming Commission. Advisory firm Wipfli noted that this marked the fourth consecutive year of revenue growth for tribal casinos. This remarkable growth reflects the increasing popularity and expansion of tribal casinos across the United States.

The impressive revenue figures are a testament to the hard work and innovation within the industry, highlighting the importance of tribal gaming as a vital economic driver for many tribal communities. However, with great success comes great responsibility, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity.

Rising cyber attacks on tribal casinos

As tribal casinos flourish financially, they become attractive targets for cybercriminals. The surge in revenue has unfortunately been paralleled by a rise in cyber threats aimed at exploiting vulnerabilities within these establishments, with one source indicating that cyber attacks on tribes surged by almost 60% in 2023.

Cyber attacks on tribal casinos can range from data breaches to ransomware attacks, each with the potential to cause significant financial and reputational damage. The increasing sophistication of these threats demands a proactive and robust approach to cybersecurity to protect both the assets and the patrons of tribal gaming operations.

Notable cybersecurity incidents in tribal gaming

Several high-profile cybersecurity incidents have underscored the vulnerabilities within the tribal gaming sector. For instance, a tribal casino recently experienced a three-week closure due to an undisclosed cybersecurity incident. Casino officials advised previous guests to monitor their financial and credit card statements for any potential issues.

Another notable incident involved a ransomware attack that compromised all internet servers and data, with the attackers demanding up to $500,000 to restore services. These incidents highlight the critical need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to safeguard the integrity of tribal gaming enterprises.

Strategies for strengthening cybersecurity in tribal gaming

To counter the escalating cyber threats, tribal casinos must adopt comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. This includes implementing advanced threat prevention, detection and response systems, regular security audits and continuous employee training to recognize and mitigate potential threats.

Investing in cybersecurity infrastructure, such as firewalls and mobile endpoint protection, can significantly enhance the security posture of tribal gaming operations. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts and adopting industry best practices are also pivotal steps in fortifying defenses against cyber attacks.

The Continent 8 advantage

As cyber threats continue to evolve, tribal casinos can leverage innovative technologies and solutions to enhance their cybersecurity posture and ensure 360-degree protection. Key solutions include:

• Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT): Our VA and pentesting services provide proactive and continuous assessment of your cyber attack surface area.
• Managed Security Operations Center (MSOC) & Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Our MSOC/SIEM services offer real-time monitoring, detection and response to help identify and mitigate threats early, with our experienced analysts providing round-the-clock support.
• Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS): Our DDoS mitigation services offer a global network with over 5 Tbps of DDoS scrubbing and network capability. With multiple layers of protection, our DDoS system ensures businesses are safeguarded against volumetric layer 3/4 attacks.
• Web Application and API Protection (WAAP): Our WAAP services defend web applications and APIs from threats like OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, as well as credential stuffing, site scraping, malicious bots and other vulnerabilities and exploits.
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) & Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Our EDR and MDR services ensure comprehensive protection for endpoints against advanced threats such as ransomware, with continuous monitoring and threat hunting to ensure prompt identification and neutralization of threats.
• Intrusion Detection System and Intrusion Prevention System (IDS & IPS): Our IDS and IPS services provide real-time detection and prevention of network intrusions, covering a wide range of attack vectors to ensure comprehensive protection.
• Compliance Audit: Our Compliance Audit services identify, assess and mitigate potential cybersecurity risks while ensuring adherence to jurisdictional regulatory requirements.
• Mobile Protect: Our endpoint detection services safeguard against data leaks, non-compliant devices and malware and phishing threats specific to mobile platforms.
• SafeBait: Our SafeBait services conduct phishing simulations and provide security awareness training to educate employees on recognizing and responding to phishing attempts and other IT training scenarios.
• Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): Our MFA services offer the most secure and efficient authentication experience available.

The future of tribal gaming in 2025 and beyond

As tribal gaming continues to thrive, the critical role of cybersecurity becomes increasingly evident.

In response to the escalating threat of advanced cyber attacks targeting tribal governments and organizations, the Department of Homeland Security announced on July 1, 2024, the allocation of over $18.2 million USD in grants to 32 tribal governments. These inaugural grants, issued under the Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program (TCGP), represent a commitment to supporting tribal communities and gaming organizations in overcoming cybersecurity challenges within their digital infrastructures and environments.

By prioritizing cybersecurity in 2025 and beyond, tribal casinos can ensure sustained growth and resilience, safeguarding their revenues and reputation in an increasingly digital world. The path forward involves a balanced approach that combines innovation and vigilance, ensuring the prosperity and longevity of the tribal gaming sector.

Cybersecurity solutions for a safer tomorrow

Continent 8 provides comprehensive, multi-layered threat prevention, detection and response solutions to secure your tribal organization’s digital assets in the face of evolving cyber threats. For more information on how Continent 8 can support your cybersecurity initiatives, email sales@continent.com or fill out our Contact Us page.

Also, be sure to watch the latest episode in our Tribal Talks: Cybersecurity Unlocked podcast series – also available on Spotify – to gain a deeper understanding of the technological advancements, cybersecurity challenges and best practices shaping tribal gaming landscape.

Explore the critical cybersecurity measures and considerations necessary for safeguarding tribal casino gaming enterprises in an increasingly digital world.

In this blog, Jerad Swimmer, Regional Sales Director at Continent 8 Technologies, discusses the range cyber threats confronting tribal casinos, highlights the most recent cyber attacks on these establishments, outlines the unique specific cybersecurity requirements of tribal gaming and recommends best practices for establishing robust cybersecurity measures to improve their overall cybersecurity posture.

Current cyber threats facing tribal casinos

Tribal casinos are increasingly becoming targets for cyber attacks, with hackers constantly looking for vulnerabilities to exploit. Some of the current cyber threats facing tribal casinos include:

• Phishing attacks: Hackers often use phishing emails or messages to trick employees into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware.
• Ransomware attacks: Cybercriminals may use ransomware to encrypt the casino’s data and demand a ransom for its release.
• Insider threats: Employees with access to sensitive data may intentionally or unintentionally leak or misuse it.
• Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks: These attacks overwhelm a casino’s network, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users.

To protect against these threats, tribal casinos need to implement robust cybersecurity measures and stay up to date with the latest security practices.

Tribal cyber attack headlines

There have been several tribal casino incidents recently where casinos have been forced to close following a cyber attack.

• A casino in Arizona closed for over a week after a cyber attack caused widespread system outage, knocking out ATMs, credit card systems, electronic door keys systems, phones, TV and Wi-Fi.
• A casino in Washington State closed for three weeks due to an undisclosed cybersecurity incident, with casino officials advising prior guests to “monitor their financial and credit card statements to look out for possible concerns.”
• A casino in Massachusetts lost tribal communications after a ransomware attack penetrated all their internet servers and compromised data, with the malicious actors seeking up to $500,000 to restore services.

Cyber attacks are on the rise and tribal casinos must take these threats seriously to properly safeguard their operations.

Understanding the unique cybersecurity needs for tribal gaming

Tribal gaming operations have unique cybersecurity needs that must be addressed to ensure data protection and operational continuity. These needs include:

• Compliance with tribal, state and federal regulations: Tribal casinos must navigate a complex regulatory landscape and ensure compliance with various regulations concerning data protection and privacy.
• Protection of customer data: Tribal casinos handle a significant amount of customer data, including personal and financial information. Ensuring the security of this data is crucial to maintaining customer trust.
• Secure financial transactions: As tribal casinos handle financial transactions, they must implement secure processes and technologies to protect against fraud and unauthorized access.
• Preservation of tribal sovereignty: Tribal gaming operations are an integral part of tribal sovereignty, and protecting their digital assets is essential to maintaining the sovereignty of tribal nations.

By understanding these unique cybersecurity needs, tribal casinos can develop effective strategies to mitigate risks and safeguard their operations.

Best practices for implementing robust cybersecurity measures

To enhance cybersecurity in tribal gaming operations, the following best practices should be implemented:

• Conduct regular cybersecurity assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities and assess the effectiveness of existing security measures.
• Implement multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to user accounts and prevent unauthorized access.
• Train employees on cybersecurity best practices, such as recognizing phishing attempts, creating strong passwords and identifying suspicious activities.
• Regularly update and patch software and systems to address known vulnerabilities and protect against emerging threats.
• Encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit to prevent unauthorized access.
• Establish an incident response plan to effectively respond to and mitigate the impact of cybersecurity incidents.
• Ensure compliance with relevant cybersecurity regulations and standards and not simply performing Checkbox Security.

By implementing these best practices, tribal casinos can significantly enhance their cybersecurity posture and protect against a wide range of threats.

Innovative technologies and solutions to enhance cybersecurity for tribal casinos

As cyber threats continue to evolve, tribal casinos can leverage innovative technologies and solutions to enhance their cybersecurity posture. Some key technologies and solutions include:

• Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDOS): Effective, scalable protection against DDoS
• Web Application and API Protection (WAAP): Safeguarding web applications and APIs
• Security Operations Center (SOC) & Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Maximize security while minimizing efforts
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) & Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Fully managed prevention, detection and response solution
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS): Tools to monitor and analyze your network traffic
• Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT): Identifying vulnerabilities in your infrastructure
• Backup: Complete cloud backup and recovery
• Mobile Protect: Your complete defense against mobile threats
• SafeBait: Simulate and prevent social engineering and phishing campaigns

By embracing these innovative technologies and solutions, tribal casinos can stay ahead of cyber threats and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.

Let us protect your tribal casino – let’s connect at OIGA 2024!

Learn more about Continent 8’s multi-layered cybersecurity solutions at the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) Conference and Trade Show in Oklahoma City ‘the biggest little show in Indian Gaming’, from August 12-14.

Continent 8’s Regional Sales Directors, Jerad Swimmer and Jamie Garcia, and Principal Solutions Architect, Tony Engel, will be in attendance at Continent 8 stand 1033.

To set up a meeting, visit here.