Native American Compact

The wildly controversial issue of Indian (Native American) gaming makes headlines once again. The issue of late has been tied to online slots, and the recent proposal to legalize them only for residents of California. The Native American tribes, many of which are located in California, are staunchly opposed to online casinos, especially since their approval will certainly create more competition for their own land casinos.  

The latest development is that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has made a deal with two tribes. Perhaps in part to appease their concerns, the former Terminator has built a relationship between the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe. The compact agreement has given the tribes a way to have their cake and eat it too, with the Wiyot tribe benefiting from the other tribes revenue. They will be entitled to 50% of the income, without even having to build their own casino. The terms are that the Wiyot Tribe is not allowed to build any slots casino, and that, while the North Fork Tribe has been granted 2,500 slot machines, and the permission to have a gambling center on their land, they are not allowed to expand or build another one anywhere else on their property.

The money from Native American-owned land casinos always goes to benefit the tribe either by going directly to the tribal members or by funding their various day-to-day operations. The compact also put a 50 percent limit on the amount of money that is allowed to go to individual members of the tribes, requiring that the rest go to public programs and governmental procedures for the tribes.

Back to July 2008 Archive.