For Immediate Release

July 8,2003

 

National Indian Gaming Commission To Consult With Northwest

Tribes

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) will consult July 15-16, 2003, with tribal leaders and tribal gaming commissioners from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska on a broad range of topics important to the Commission's priorities for the next several years. Commission Chairman, Phil Hogen said, "The Commission is committed to coordinating and consulting with tribal governments regarding the complementary roles that the tribes, states and federal government have in the regulation of gaming on Indian lands under federal law."

 

The consultation will take place at the Tacoma Sheraton, 1320 Broadway, Tacoma, Washington at 1:30 PM Tuesday, July 15, following the Northwest Indian Gaming Conference and Expo that is scheduled to be underway at the same location. Private meetings with representatives of Northwest tribes will be held in the late afternoon and evening and through Wednesday, July 16.

 

Chairman Hogen emphasized, "The Commission is seeking input from tribal government leaders and gaming commissioners about possible amendments to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 to ensure that fees collected fiom tribes to fund Commission operations are adequate to enable the Commission to carry out its regulatory mandates. Equally important to the Cornmission's leadership," he said, "is the development of an official written policy on government-to-government consultation and we seek tribal input into that effort."

 

Tribal Input is also sought to clarify the regulatory authority of the Commission and the tribes regarding Class III tribal gaming operations, internal controls and standards for gaming employees, cash protection and gaming machines, and greater protection for tribes in their dealings with vendors, consultants, equipment lessors and other suppliers of goods anctservices to tribal gaming operations.

 

The three-person Commission and staff will continue consulting with tribal leaders and gaming regulators throughout the year, having recently met with tribes in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Montana, North and South Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming.

 

The National Indian Gaming Commission was created by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 as an independent federal regulatory authority for tribal gaming operations.  The mission of the National Indian Gaming Commission is to meet congressional concerns that tribal, state and federal regulation is adequate to shield Indian gaming from organized crime and other corrupting influences, ensure that Indian tribes are the primary beneficiaries of their gaming operations, assure that Indian gaming is conducted fairly and honestly, and protect the use of gaming by tribes as a viable means of generating governmental revenue and promote tribal economic development and strong tribal government.

 

The Commission's three members are: Chairman Hogen, Vice-Chair Nelson Westrin and Commissioner Cloyce "Chuck" Choney.

 

- NIGC -