Indian Gaming Now

Law

Proposed San Francisco Casino Tests Federal, State Law

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

Kathryn Participates in Roundtable for GLRE

Jun 23 2010
Kathryn participated in a "roundtable" discussion of hot topics in tribal gaming for a future issue of the Gaming Law Review&Economics.  Other roundtable panelists were attorneys Heidi Staudenmaier, Mike McBride, and Gabe Galanda.  Steve Zweig, the new managing editor for GLRE, moderated the roundtable.  Topics included off-reservation gaming, land acquisition, revenue sharing, and the NIGC.  Look for a transcript of the roundtable discussion in the next issue of the GLRE.

Student Guest Blog Post

Jun 23 2010
As part of Kathryn's Indian Gaming Law course this summer at UND School of Law, law students in the course will occasionally appear as guest bloggers on Indian Gaming Now.  Today's student guest blogger is third-year law student Meg Morley:

This is a very interesting article from the Cape Cod Times, and very relevant to our class discussion from Monday.

Indian Gaming Law Course at UND

Jun 21 2010
Kathryn's Indian Gaming Law course at UND School of Law starts today.  (Steve taught Indian Gaming and American Politics as an upper-level undergraduate political science course at UND this spring.)  Here are the topics we're covering, using Light&Rand, Indian Gaming & Tribal Sovereignty: The Casino Compromise and Rand & Light, Indian Gaming Law: Cases and Materials:

I.  Indian Gaming in Context
A.  What is Indian Gaming?
B.  Gambling Law and Regulation
C.  Tribal Governments in the American Political System

Off to Finland!

May 15 2010
We're off to Finland to give a keynote presentation at the University of Helsinki's 13th Maple Leaf and Eagle Conference.  Our keynote is part of a plenary session on tribal gaming, sponsored by the Finnish Foundation for Gaming Research.  Our lecture will discuss the law, policy, and politics of Indian gaming in the U.S.  The conference program is available on the University of Helsinki's web page.

We'll be back with accounts of the conference, and gaming in Finland!


Steve and Kathryn to Give Keynote at University of Helsinki

May 15 2010
On May 19, 2010, Steve and Kathryn will give a keynote presentation at the University of Helsinki's 13th Maple Leaf and Eagle Conference.  Their keynote, part of a plenary session sponsored by the Finnish Foundation for Gaming Research, will describe the law, policy, and politics of Indian gaming in the U.S.  The conference program is available online.

No Surprise in Alabama, But a Little Surprise on Class II v. Class III

May 12 2010
Well, it's no surprise to us that the NIGC told Gov. Bob Riley that he couldn't shut down "illegal" electronic bingo machines operated by the Poarch Creek Indian Tribe.  According to the NIGC, the machines are Class II, and bingo is legal in Alabama.  Riley has been targeting electronic bingo in the state, and wanted to include tribal bingo in his sights.  But his crackdown on electronic bingo can't extend to the Tribe's bingo machines, which are governed by IGRA rather than Alabama law.