Minnesota's Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement division plans to step up its regulation of tribal casinos in response to reports that show little to no oversight within the past few years.

"We've kind of been a little neglectful of casino inspections.," Michele Tuchner, the new director of the division, told The Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The paper said some of the state's largest tribal casinos have gone without inspections as far back as 2008. Budget cuts and limited staff have been cited as reasons for the lax review but nearby states -- like Wisconsin and South Dakota -- have a much higher level of regulation despite hosting smaller casinos than some of the ones in Minnesota.

The Class III gaming compact in Minnesota requires tribes to pay $13,636 each year for state regulation. The amount hasn't changed since the deals were signed in 1989.

"There just is no problem,'' John McCarthy, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, told the paper. "It's the most regulated gambling in the country.''

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Slots get little or no state review (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 1/23)