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South
Dakota Lawsuit
The
Flandreau Sioux Tribe's Royal River
Casino is suffering due to not enough
slot machines, a lawsuit claims. Tribal
officials have been trying to get the
governor to meet with them over the slot
machine dispute, but he refuses to.
Therefore, the tribe has filed a lawsuit
in federal court claiming that the state
is treating them unfairly and not
negotiating in good faith.
They say that since the Deadwood casinos
have been allowed 3,000 slot machines,
and there are more than 8,500 video
gambling machines across the state, that
the tribes should be allowed more slot
machines as well. They say that they are
currently limited to 250 slot machines,
which is not nearly enough to keep up
with the demand from their customers.
Federal law says that tribes can have
the same kind of gambling that is
offered elsewhere in the state where
they are located, but that they have to
try and come to an agreement with the
state first. Once a compact is signed,
then the tribe can bring in slot
machines, etc. However, the state must
negotiate in good faith, or the federal
government will step in and negotiate
for them, often cutting them out of a
portion of the proceeds.
Deadwood starting offering slot machines
and casinos in 1989, at which time the
tribes started negotiating compacts with
the state to bring in their own slot
machines. There are nine Sioux Tribes in
South Dakota and eight of them have
compacts with the state. They say that
because they are not allowed more slot
machines, their customers will get bored
waiting to play and go to neighboring
casinos in Minnesota and Iowa.
The tribe is asking for more slot
machines as well as an extension on
their compact for 20 years so that they
can secure financing to add a hotel,
water park, recreation center, etc. and
make themselves an entertainment
destination. With the state not
cooperating, it is impossible for the
tribe to secure financing and thus
secure a better future for their people.
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