Indian gaming<\/strong> has gone from bingo halls in the boonies to big business. Plus, revenues just keep on rising. A fact that only seems to exacerbate the many divisive issues between the Native American tribes<\/strong> that own casinos and the states they operate in.<\/p>\n
It was 1987 when the Supreme Court of the United States<\/strong> decided states that allow some form of gaming have no authority<\/strong> to regulate or prohibit gaming on Indian land.<\/p>\n
The decision amounted to an invitation for a huge number of Native American tribes to build casinos. In fact, hundreds eventually would<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
A year later, federal lawmakers tried to give states some measure of control over Indian gaming. They passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act <\/strong>(IGRA).<\/p>\n
IGRA essentially required states to enter into good-faith negotiations<\/strong> with tribes establishing gaming operations. The outcome of these negotiations are the gaming compacts that make the Indian gaming operations lawful. However, they also often give tribes exclusive rights to gaming<\/strong> in the areas where they operate in return for a piece of revenues<\/strong> going to the state or host community.<\/p>\n
By 1993, the New York Times<\/strong><\/a> reported as many as 175 tribes in 25 states<\/strong> had jumped in the gaming business. Plus, Indian gaming was suddenly a $6-billion-a-year industry<\/strong> growing by $1 billion annually<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Play At Golden Nugget Now With Free Signup Bonus<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
California <\/strong>gaming tribes have already used that influence. They\u2019ve wielded it to at least slow down the passage of sports betting<\/strong> and online poker<\/strong> legislation. Concerns that widespread legal sports betting might infringe upon gaming exclusivity rights in New York<\/strong> has effectively done the same.<\/p>\n
Plus, tribal-state gaming compact negotiations have become increasingly acrimonious over the years.<\/p>\n
In Upstate New York, the Seneca Nation of Indians<\/strong><\/a> has even stopped making payments<\/strong> to the state. It owns and operates six casinos. However, the tribe claims its compact allows it to stop making contributions to the state after 14 years.<\/p>\n