The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe cleared one of the last major hurdles in its quest to open a casino in Massachusetts.
The state Senate approved the tribe's Class III gaming compact on Thursday. The House previously approved the deal and now it can be sent to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act gives the BIA 45 days to consider the compact. The agency could approve it, reject it or let it go into effect to the extent its provisions are consistent with IGRA. The tribe's last, and possibly biggest, hurdle is a land-into-trust application that's pending at the BIA. Get the Story: