National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Phil Hogen says California tribes may have misled voters about regulation of their casinos.

Voters in the state approved a tribal gaming initiative twice. Hogen says the tribes argued that their facilities were "heavily regulated by the state, the feds and the tribes themselves."

"As it turns out, maybe that's not the case anymore," Hogen tells The San Diego Union Tribune.

Hogen was referring to a recent court decision that cut the federal side -- the NIGC -- out of the picture when it comes to Class III gaming, the biggest sector of the $23 billion industry. He says three tribes in California have used the ruling to challenge his agency's regulatory authority.

The Department of Justice is asking for a reconsideration of certain issues in the decision. Hogen says Congress needs to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to ensure the federal government has a role.

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Indian casino watchdogs kept in check (The San Diego Union Tribune 12/17)