New rules proposed by the federal government could see Native American tribes expand their gambling operations.
Tribes would have more control over the location of future casino developments
“The proposed regulations would authorize an unprecedented expansion of tribal casino gaming—and would achieve that outcome by unjustifiably restricting the ability of state governments to adopt and enforce their own policies on gaming matters.”
The proposed rule changes were introduced by the Bureau of Indian Affairs late last year as a direct result of the growth of the gambling industry following the legalization of sports betting and online casinos.
Proposed Federal Rules Could Allow Tribes to Expand Gambling Operations“The federal government has a treaty and trust responsibility to protect tribal sovereignty and revitalize tribal communities by strengthening their homelands and economic self-sufficiency.”
According to the proposed rule changes, tribes will be allowed to seek statewide online gambling opportunities via tribal-state compacts. The proposal states that online wagers may be considered on-reservation as long as the remote wager server is located on tribal property. Critics of the proposal argue that it could mandate states to authorize types of gambling, such as sports betting, blackjack, or roulette, which may have been prohibited under state law.
Proposed Federal Rules Could Allow Tribes to Expand Gambling OperationsImage credit: Valerie / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
