"When California voters approved the Indian gaming initiative in 2000, they thought they were bringing an economic renewal opportunity to impoverished, out-of-the-way reservations. How naive that now seems.

The tribes quickly made mountains of money and used it to buy political clout, easily purchased in California. And now some Indian tribes (a designation that has become looser than North Las Vegas slot machines) are using that clout to push casinos into urban areas.

As a result, the fragile dam that has held back Vegas-style gambling in California is springing some serious leaks. It hasn't burst yet, but it's about to."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Neighborhood casinos (The Long Beach Press Telegram 8/19)