NCJ Number
99850
Date Published
1985
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The U.S. Justice and Interior Departments have agreed to propose a bill that will prohibit all gambling on Indian reservations except commercial bingo and gambling authorized by tribal ordinance and the law of the State in which the reservation is located.
Abstract
The primary rationale for limiting gambling on Indian reservations is the historic attraction of organized crime to this lucrative activity. The bill would require that commercial bingo on reservations be authorized by tribal ordinance and be conducted for the benefit of the tribe rather than for private profit. A board, appointed by the Interior Secretary, would license, oversee, audit, and regulate tribal bingo operations. The board could also set limits on prizes and combinations as well as prescribe controls on recordkeeping and the handling of cash and equipment. The board could issue judicially enforceable cease-and-desist orders to enforce its regulations and licensing decisions. The Secretary may require reports from boards, and the Interior Department's inspector general would have authority to investigate the boards. A 'sunset' provision in the bill would require the Congress to review the Indian gambling industry and the statute's impact at the end of 5 years.