"Last month, the state Gambling Commission director proposed an audacious draft agreement with the Spokane Tribe that could have resulted in a tenfold increase in tribal gambling.

Fortunately, Gov. Christine Gregoire nixed the proposed Spokane Tribe Class III Gambling Compact and sent the commission staff back to the negotiating table. The governor — and legislators and we citizens — also need to send a loud and clear message to the Gambling Commission about its purpose and role.

The Gambling Commission's job should be to regulate gambling and to implement gambling policy as established by the Legislature and the governor. It should not be proposing or approving major gambling expansions.

Beyond expanding tribal gambling, I am also troubled by the popular notion of state "revenue sharing," which was also included in the proposed Spokane compact. While the idea of requiring tribal governments to share their gaming revenue with state government is appealing on the surface, I think it would place state government in a conflicted position as a business partner with the tribe. The state cannot effectively regulate gambling and manage gambling policy when it has a vested economic interest in gambling expansion."

Get the Story:
Norm Maleng: State Gambling Commission needs to be reined in (The Seattle Times 11/22)