The National Indian Gaming Commission has told the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma that its out-of-state casino is operating illegally.
The tribe opened the facility in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, last fall and began offering Class II machines owned by Multimedia Games. The casino is located on land taken into trust after 1988. For that reason, NIGC acting general counsel Penny Coleman said it was not suitable for gaming. In a 24-page decision, she said the tribe did not satisfy any of the exemptions in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) for gaming on newly acquired lands. The tribe has a week from Wednesday to respond to the NIGC opinion. State attorney general Phill Kline, who has sought closure of the facility, declared victory. Four tribes in the state that own casinos also objected to the Wyandotte's gaming. A copy of the decision can be found at https://www.indianz.com/docs/nigc/wyandotte032304.pdf Get the Story: