A hearing on online gaming in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held in Washington D.C. resulted in the conclusion that American Indian tribes are desirous of having a bigger role in any legislation and regulatory discussion on online gaming.
Representatives of two Indian tribes, one approving regulated online gaming and the other against regulated online gaming, was heard by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Chairman of the Mchegan Tribe, Bruce Bozsum, stated that Internet gaming is of crucial importance to his people but that any law pertaining to online gambling should protect tribal rights and give them the chance to compete on a fair and level playing field. He added that Indian tribes were capable of competing and being as successful as anyone else.
Bozsum also stated that the regulation should not provide head starts for Nevada, New Jersey or any other state and that any legislation should enable wagers to be placed on non-tribal lands but should, however, force non-regulated sites to shut down.
Vice Chairman of the Tulalip Tribes in Washington State, Glen Gobin was against online gambling as he felt that it threatened land based Indian casinos which he said will generate more than $260 billion in 10 years which exceeds the reported $41 billion that online gambling is expected to generate. Gobin also felt that Indian online casinos would be unable to compete against those launched by the leading land casinos.
National Indian Gaming Association Chairman, Ernie Stevens, stated that the Indian tribal government’s concerns were justified and that federal or state governments should not tax tribal revenue, that tribal gaming should be honored by legislation and that Congress should allow the Indian Gaming Regulation Act to remain as it is.
Senator Daniel Akasa felt that more hearings were needed in order to discuss the impact of the regulation of online gambling on Indian tribes.
