Indian Gaming

Chairman of Stop Predatory Gambling New Mexico on regulation of tribal gaming:

When Sen. John Arthur Smith, vice-chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee, said that the New Mexico Gaming Control Board has a “mess on its hands,” he said about the kindest thing that could be said about the relationship between tribal gambling and the state agency

On page 50 of the report it says, ” By the express terms of the New Mexico Gaming Control Act and the Compacts, the State of New Mexico is permitted to monitor and inspect the Tribal Gaming Operations but is not permitted to audit the tribal operation.”

The “audit” team can count the machines, see if health regulations are being followed, etc., but they have no access to live data on net profit from the gambling operations, therefore no way to accurately calculate revenue sharing to the state, possibly costing the state millions each year. The LFC calls the risk “underpayment of revenue share.”

Get the Story:
Guy C. Clark: Gambling regulations show conflicts of interest (The Albuquerque Journal 6/10)