"A change in the way the federal government considers applications for Indian gaming casinos could pave the way to move more of them off of traditional reservations.
The Obama administration said Tuesday it was lifting a rule limiting casinos to within commuting distance of existing reservations. The federal government enacted a rule in 2008 requiring new casino developments to be within commuting distance of an Indian reservation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs said it will now consider expansion applications on a case-by-case basis. In Minnesota, though, tribes have formally opposed off reservation expansion, even by their own members. Minnesota Indian Gaming Association executive director John McCarthy said his organization worries it would set a bad precedent. " Get the Story: