DOJ gaming proposal shows changes to Johnson Act

Wednesday, October 5, 2005  

The Department of Justice has posted a document detailing its proposed changes to the Johnson Act.

The proposal seeks to clarify the difference between Class II and Class III machines. It prohibits tribes from operating games that resemble slot machines without a tribal-state compact.

The document is located at the Office of Tribal Justice website [Link]. It is currently only available in WordPerfect format.

According to the department, the amendments will be presented at the National Congress of American Indians' 62nd Annual Convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on November 1, 2005, and again at the National Indian Gaming Association's Mid-Year Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on November 15, 2005.

More information about a combined consultation effort by DOJ and the National Indian Gaming Commission is forthcoming.

U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger announced the proposal at the Global Gaming Expo last month.