Coin receives honorary doctorate from UNLV for contributions to gaming

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Jacob Coin, a longtime architect of tribal gaming policy and a key partner to UNLV’s law school, has been awarded an honorary doctorate in public policy, recognizing decades of work advancing tribal sovereignty and shaping the modern Indian gaming industry.

The William S. Boyd School of Law says the honor reflects Coin’s nearly 30 years of advocacy and his longstanding role in building connections between tribal governments and the university, including efforts to expand student opportunities and strengthen UNLV’s Indian gaming and governance programs.

UNLV bestowed the honorary doctorate on Coin during its Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony honoring graduate, master’s and doctoral students Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Coin, a citizen of the Hopi Tribe, was raised on the Hopi Indian Reservation, where the ceremonial and spiritual teachings of his parents and elders shaped his worldview.

After earning a degree in business administration from Arizona State University, he dedicated his career to protecting tribal sovereignty.

His early career began in Washington, where he served as an advocate for the Hopi Tribe. He later became a foundational figure in the tribal gaming industry, establishing the Arizona Indian Gaming Association in 1996 and serving as executive director for the National Indian Gaming Association and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association.

Over more than two decades, Coin’s contributions to UNLV included facilitating clerkships and internships at the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the Palms, helping students transition into permanent employment in the gaming and hospitality sectors.

Invited by the late Robert Faiss in the early 2000s, Coin served as a frequent guest lecturer for courses including Federal Indian Gaming Law and has served on the Gaming Law Advisory Council since 2010.

Through his leadership with the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, he helped secure a $9 million gift to UNLV to expand education initiatives in hospitality, gaming and governance. His expertise also guided the creation of the Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program.

As a strategic adviser to the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Tribal Council, Coin advises on matters of governance and policy. His work connecting the law school with tribal experts — including those involved in the landmark California v. Cabazon case in 1987 where the Supreme Court held that states generally could not regulate tribal gaming on reservations when the state law was regulatory, not criminal — has strengthened UNLV’s partnerships with tribal communities nationwide.

Coin expressed gratitude to university leadership, faculty and his family.

“I share this recognition with those who give meaning to my life’s work to enhance the powers and authorities of sovereign tribal nations, their cultures and their people,” Coin said.

Danielle Finn, director of the Indian Nations Gaming and Governance Program, said the honor affirmed Coin’s commitment to tribal nations.

“His work reflects the very mission that drives our program every day,” Finn said.