"The state Gambling Commission endorsed a long-awaited casino compact with the Spokane Tribe of Indians on Friday and before the 6-3 vote was even taken, a mantra of 'expanded gambling' was reverberating across the state.

Will the compact expand gambling opportunities? Of course it will, in terms of sheer numbers. And since there's way too much legal gambling in the state already, any more is always a cause for concern.

According to a state Gambling Commission spokeswoman, the Spokanes now operate two casinos and a total of about 700 machines without a compact. The illegal machines will be replaced with devices authorized in the compact.

The new pact will authorize up to five casinos and up to 4,700 video gambling machines. The tribe will be allotted 900 machines and anything above that number initially will have to be purchased or leased from other tribes not using their allotments.

The positive news out of Friday's development in Olympia is that the Spokane tribe, which was the last one in the state that operated casinos without a compact, is now on board, joining 20 tribes with compacts that now operate 25 casinos in the state, including Yakama Nation Legends Casino at Toppenish."

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Spokane compact will bring tribe into fold (The Yakima Herald-Republic 2/14)