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Minnesota Gubernatorial Race & Indian Gaming

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Aug 31 2010
In Minnesota, the squeeze of the recession has gubernatorial candidates talking about expanding legalized gambling.  Minnesota has a nearly $6 billion budget shortfall, and the candidates are looking for solutions.

Democrat Mark Dayton wants to take on Indian gaming directly.  He proposes a state-run casino at the Mall of America, just outside the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul -- one of the most lucrative Indian gaming markets in the country.  A state-run casino, claims Dayton, would be good for the state because it would compete with Mystic Lake, a highly profitable tribal casino operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux.

August 23rd

Steve & Kathryn on Obama Administration in Latest Issue of GLRE

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Aug 23 2010
In the latest issue of the Gaming Law Review&Economics, we have a short article on the emerging federal policy on Indian gaming and land-into-trust issues.  Titled, "The Obama Administration's 'Path Forward on Indian Gaming Policy' and What it Signals for 'Off-Reservation' Gaming," our article summarizes Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's June 2010 memo outlining the Department's approach to Indian gaming.  We also offer our thoughts on what the Salazar memo signals for the future in these five areas: policymaking, consideration of off-reservation applications, revisiting the "commutable distance" test, IGRA's public policy goals, and government-to-government relations.

August 19th

Indian Gaming Now Named One of Top Native American Blogs

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Aug 19 2010
Indian Gaming Now has been named one of the best blogs covering Native American news and events by Masters in Counseling in its Top 50 Native American Blogs.

July 29th

Proposed San Francisco Casino Tests Federal, State Law

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Jul 29 2010
Today's student guest blog post is written by third-year law student Christopher Westby.  Here's his take on a proposal for gaming on newly acquired lands by a recently recognized tribe:

Proposed San Francisco Casino Tests Federal, State Law

The 112 member Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians has no reservation;
during the era of termination policy the federal government revoked
recognition of the tribe and transferred its lands to private owners.
The tribe regained federal recognition in 1991. Many of its members
currently still live near the former reservation in Ukiah, California.

The tribe proposes building a casino seventy-miles away from Ukiah in
Richmond, which sits on the San Francisco Bay. The Bureau of Indian

July 27th

More on Mashpee Wampanoag in Massachusetts

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Jul 27 2010
Today's student guest blog post is by Andrew Weiss, a second-year law student in Kathryn's Indian Gaming Law course.  Andrew's post discusses another twist in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's pursuit of a casino.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Indians plan to build a casino in Fall River, MA, which is about an hour away from Boston and 20 minutes away from Providence, RI (a highly lucrative location).  This new project was announced around May of this year after negotiations with the city of Middleborough fell through.  The new casino in Fall River will include three hotels, a gambling area, shopping mall, and indoor waterpark.

July 21st

Update From NY: Shinnecock Tribal Recognition

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Jul 21 2010
Today's student-written guest blog post is by third-year law student Meg Morley.  Meg's research paper for Kathryn's Indian Gaming Law course is on the Shinnecock Indian Tribe and their quest for federal recognition and desire to open a casino.  As Meg has chosen a topic that is developing literally as she conducts her research (one of the challenges of working in the field of tribal gaming!), she is tracking news accounts daily.  Here's her latest update:

An appeal has been filed by the "Connecticut Coalition for Gaming Jobs".  This filing automatically stays the Federal Recognition process for the Shinnecocks, a process that was to be finalized on July 19.

Now another group has come forth with an appeal, the Montaukett Tribe.

July 19th

Revenue Sharing in Oklahoma

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Jul 19 2010
As part of Kathryn's Indian Gaming Law course at UND School of Law this summer, students have the chance to write guest blog posts.  This post, written by third-year law student Chinazo Odigbo, references the tribal-state revenue-sharing agreement in Oklahoma, under which tribes pay 4 to 6% of adjusted gross revenue to the state.  Originally expected to result in annual payments of about $70 million to the state, this year's payment is expected to top $120 million. 

Here's Chris's comment on the issue: