Oklahoma wants tribes to waive immunity for casino liquor

Wednesday, January 22, 2014  

The Oklahoma ABLE Commission wants tribes to waive their sovereign immunity in order to serve liquor at their casinos.

The commission is responding to an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that said the Peoria Tribe can't be sued for allegedly over-serving a patron at the Buffalo Run Casino who was involved in an accident. There was no waiver in the Class III gaming compact or from Congress, the court determined.

To get around that, the commission voted to pursue a change in regulation that would require tribes to waive immunity in order to obtain or renew a liquor license. The issue is likely to be controversial, an attorney said.

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Sheffer v. Buffalo Run Casino.

Get the Story:
Oklahoma tribes could have to forgo immunity to sell alcohol (The Oklahoman 1/22)

Peoria Tribe can't be sued for serving liquor to casino patron (10/28)