Indian Gaming

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announces non-Indian gaming expansion plans. May 9, 2013. Photo Governor's Flickr.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) threatened tribes with an expansion of non-Indian gaming unless they shared revenues from their casinos.

The SenecaNation and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe already share revenues under their Class III gaming compacts. They are withholding the state's share due to a dispute over exclusivity in their respective regions.

Cuomo gave the tribes until the third week of June to resolve the dispute. Otherwise, he said lawmakers will approve plans to put a non-Indian gaming referendum on the November ballot.

“We will honor Indian gaming compacts that are in good standing," Cuomo said at a press conference, The Syracuse Post-Standard reported. “If we are not in good standing with a region that has Indian gaming, we will open that region to commercial gaming.”

Cuomo is also putting pressure on the Oneida Nation. The tribe's current compact does not include revenue sharing.

“[W]e are engaged in a constructive dialogue with (Cuomo's) administration." Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said in a statement to the Post-Standard.

Cuomo's proposed referendum calls for casinos in six regions across the state. Three of them would compete with tribal casinos, as shown by a graphic in The Middletown Times Herald-Record:

New York State Gaming Regions. Image © The Middletown Times Herald-Record.

Get the Story:
Tribal settlements in the casino mix (The Albany Times-Union 5/10)
Cuomo gives ultimatum on casino funds (The Buffalo News 5/10)
Cuomo casino plan released (The Middletown Times Herald-Record 5/10)
Gov. Andrew Cuomo to Oneidas: Start sharing casino revenues or prepare for competition (The Syracuse Post-Standard 5/10)
Cuomo Wants Voters to Decide on Full-Scale Casinos (The New York Times 5/10)
Indian casino compacts with state come under scrutiny (The Glen Falls Post-Star 5/10)
Cuomo pushes tribes to settle casino disputes (The Elmira Star-Gazette 5/9)
Cuomo: Native American Casinos Could Face Competition (WWNY-TV 5/9)
Cuomo gives the Senecas an ultimatum (The Niagara Gazette 5/9)

Related Stories:
Editorial: No secrecy for non-Indian casino talks in New York (5/7)