Wisconsin drops plan to regulate tribal casino MMA events

Tuesday, May 3, 2011  

Tribes in Wisconsin threatened litigation against the state over an effort to enforce mixed martial arts regulations at their casinos.

The Wisconsin Department of Licensing and Regulation issued the emergency rules last September. Tribes already developed their own regulations and said the state was infringing on their sovereignty.

“I think it’s coming together, but once again it has to be an understanding that the tribes have their inherent rights through tribal sovereignty to conduct economic activities on the reservation and to regulate their activities,” Michael Broderick, the marketing director at the casino owned by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians told Wisconsin Public Radio.

Regulation Secretary Dave Ross has met with tribes to mend fences, WPR reported. At least three tribes, including Lac du Flambeau, have agreed to share medical information with the state as a result.

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State tries to sanction tribal mixed martial arts events (Wisconsin Public Radio 5/2)
AUDIO: State tries to sanction tribal mixed martial arts events (Wisconsin Public Radio 5/2)