Editorial: Amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act

Monday, April 14, 2008  

"It’s an election year, so there might be no great prospects for Sen. David Vitter’s latest efforts to tighten the rules of Indian gambling. With America’s tribes investing heavily in political action committees in both parties, even in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandals that brought down many careers in Washington, tribal gambling interests enjoy a great deal of support on Capitol Hill.

Still, Vitter, R-La., is right to pursue changes in the way Indian gambling is so lightly regulated in this country.

Vitter’s latest bill seeks to restrict “forum shopping,” the tendency of tribes to seek new casino locations in places where the tribes can make the most money, sometimes far from the tribes’ ancestral homes and existing reservations.

Vitter was among the Louisiana officials fighting efforts by the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians to locate a proposed casino on the Texas border, not in the tribe’s traditional areas.

His new proposal requires an added level of state review of proposed locations for casinos, among other restrictions.

While the political prognosis for Vitter’s latest bill is not great, Indian gambling clearly is a huge business that can and should be closely regulated."

Get the Story:
Our View: Tribal casinos win big bucks (The Baton Rouge Advocate 4/14)