For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Gaston
(202) 632-7003
WASHINGTON, DC– On October 4, 2016, the National Indian Gaming Commission announced its selection of Mr. Travis Waldo as the first Director of Technology in its newly created Division of Technology. Mr. Waldo will take the lead on keeping the agency at the forefront of technological growth and expansion in the gaming industry. Indian gaming has been an incubator for technological innovations to grow tribal revenue. Moreover, the integrity of Indian gaming relies on strong and secure data systems. Mr. Waldo will work in partnership with tribal regulators to ensure the continued growth and security of Indian gaming systems.
“Staying ahead of the technology curve is one of four critical initiatives of the Commission. Mr. Waldo’s experience and proven leadership in Indian Country and with Indian gaming technology is ideal to guide the NIGC into the future to continue our mission to protect the integrity of Indian gaming for generations to come,” said NIGC Chairman Jonodev O. Chaudhuri.
Before joining the agency in 2013, Mr. Waldo was a Gaming Systems Analyst for one of the largest tribes in the United States where he served since 2005. He has been working in information technology since 1999, including working in systems administration and network engineering. Mr. Waldo also served as a deputy sheriff where he conducted cyber crimes investigations and data forensics.
Among many projects and priorities of the Division of Technology, Mr. Waldo has spearheaded free technical assistance for tribes to evaluate the security vulnerability of gaming data systems called “IT Vulnerability Assessments” or ITVAs. Since August 11, 2015, Mr. Waldo’s IT Audit program has performed 23 ITVAs. The ITVAs take approximately two days to perform and provide the gaming facility with an in-depth evaluation of their security posture by identifying areas of possible weakness and providing appropriate mitigation procedures to either eliminate those weaknesses or reduce them to an acceptable level of risk. (Go to http://www.nigc.gov/technology/it-vulnerability-assessment to learn more about ITVAs and how to schedule one for your tribal facility.)
“I am grateful for this opportunity with the NIGC to implement its initiative of staying ahead of the technology curve. Constantly changing innovations can create vulnerabilities that may affect an operation’s data and security measures. NIGC’s commitment to providing tribes with training and technical assistance is crucial to support the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act’s purposes of tribal self-sufficiency, self-determination, and protecting the integrity of Indian gaming revenue,” said Mr. Waldo.
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The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act created the National Indian Gaming Commission to support tribal self-sufficiency and the integrity of Indian gaming. The NIGC has developed four initiatives to support its mission including (1) To protect against anything that amounts to gamesmanship on the backs of tribes; (2) To stay ahead of the Technology Curve; (3) Rural outreach; and (4) To maintain a strong workforce within NIGC and with its tribal regulatory partners. NIGC oversees the efficient regulation of 497 gaming establishments operated by 244 tribes across 29 states. The Commission’s dedication to compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act ensures the integrity of the growing $29.9 billion Indian gaming industry. To learn more, visit www.nigc.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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