"What's happening at the moment is within the tribal-casino sector of the state's gambling industry. The Gambling Commission and Gov. Chris Gregoire have approved a compact worked out with the Spokane Tribe that paves the way for hundreds more slot-like machines at the Spokanes' casino and increased bet limits in return for the tribe ending its holdout status as the only tribe in Washington without a state gambling compact.

The proposed compact, which now goes to the federal Department of the Interior for action, also would commit the tribe to donate a certain percentage of its take to help fund problem-gambling and smoking-cessation programs.

More significantly, it would pave the way for the other 19 tribes that operate casinos with state compacts to increase the number of their machines. Overall, the number of these machines statewide could go up by about 8,100 to 25,000 total."

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In Our View: Stop the Game (The Columbian 3/1)