NIGC Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland Steps Down Effective Immediately
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Indian Gaming Commission said Vice Chair Jeannie C. Hovland has left the agency effective immediately.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The departure removes a senior figure from federal tribal gaming oversight as the commission continues supervising a nearly $44 billion sector.
Hovland, a member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, had served as vice chair since 2021. The NIGC said she helped lead oversight of more than 500 Indian gaming operations under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, working with fellow commissioners on compliance and integrity across tribal gaming, according to the official NIGC announcement.
In a statement, Hovland said the decision was not easy but that she had concluded it was time to return home to South Dakota. She said it had been an honor to serve for more than two decades in federal service and that she could not think of a better agency to close that chapter with than the NIGC.
Hovland’s Tenure Focused on Sovereignty and Community Risks
The commission said Hovland spent her five years with the agency advocating for tribal sovereignty and supporting the development of future gaming leaders. It also pointed to her work raising awareness of human trafficking and other threats affecting tribal communities, an area that has drawn wider attention across regulated gaming environments.
Hovland said one of the privileges of the role was traveling to tribal nations, meeting tribal leaders and regulators, and seeing the impact of tribal gaming firsthand. That emphasis on direct engagement has been a recurring theme in NIGC messaging as the agency balances federal oversight with tribal self-governance.
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Succession Details Are Still Pending
Chief of Staff Dustin Thomas said Hovland’s work left a meaningful mark on the agency and Indian Country, citing her focus on regulatory standards, sovereignty, and community well-being. The NIGC said additional information on leadership succession will be provided later.
For now, Sharon Avery remains as associate commissioner. What happens next will depend on how quickly the agency names a replacement and whether the leadership change affects its priorities around enforcement, training, and tribal consultation.
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