For Immediate Release ~ March 1, 2005
Contact: Shawn Pensoneau ~ (202) 632-7003

Washington, DC – National Indian Gaming Commission recently published in the Federal Register, a preliminary annual fee rate of 0.00 percent for tier 1 and .059 percent for tier 2 for calendar year 2005.

Chairman Hogen noted that this is a decrease from a calendar year 2004 rate of .063 percent, published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2004.  Hogen said "this fee rate will enable the Commission to further improve our capabilities and fill vacancies where necessary and accomplish the goals and objectives of this Commission."

If an Indian Tribe has a certificate of self-regulation under 25 CFR part 518, the preliminary fee rate on class II gaming revenues for calendar year 2005 shall be one-half of the annual fee rate, which is .0295 percent.

The National Indian Gaming Commission is an independent regulatory agency established within the Department of the Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. The NIGC is funded through fees collected from gaming operations under its jurisdiction.  The agency bases fees on a percentage of assessable gross revenue of each gaming operation under the agency’s jurisdiction.

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