US Department of the Interior Empowers California Tribes in Gaming

Historic Move: US Department of the Interior Empowers Five California Tribes with Gaming Oversight

In a groundbreaking development on January 31, 2024, the United States Department of the Interior granted unprecedented autonomy to five tribes in California, enabling them to regulate their own Class III gaming operations. This landmark decision marks a significant pivot in the realm of tribal gaming under the Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), with the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) overseeing operations but effectively sidelining the state of California from any regulatory role. The tribes benefiting from this historic decision include the Blue Lake Rancheria, Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, Chicken Ranch Rancheria, Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, and Robinson Rancheria.