Washington tribes working on new gaming compacts

Monday, February 19, 2007  

Washington's 27 tribes are working on a new gaming compact with Gov. Christine Gregoire (D).

The deal would allow the tribes to install up to 8,100 additional machines at their casinos, bringing the total to more than 25,000. It would also allow tribes to quadruple the betting limit from $5 to $20 on 15 percent of the machines on the casino floor and allow for unlimited hours of operation

. Ron Allen, the president of the Washington Indian Gaming Association and chairman of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, said tribes asked for more slot machines. He called the proposal a compromise and said it would not lead to a rapid expansion of gaming.

Gregoire has already agreed to an expansion of gaming for the Spokane Tribe. On Friday, she signed the tribe's gaming compact, which allows the tribe up to 4,700 slot machines and up to five casinos.

Get the Story:
Big growth in tribal gambling in the works (The Seattle Times 2/18)
WA gov signs Spokane tribal compact; expansion coming (AP 2/16)