Games of chance have been a part of Native American culture for centuries. Modern tribal gaming began in the 1970s with the proliferation of state lotteries. Several California and Florida tribes, and the Seminole Nation in particular, opened bingo parlors that offered prizes higher than allowed by state law. After the State of Florida threatened to close down the games, the Seminole National sued in federal court.
In the ensuing cases of Seminole Tribe v. Butterworth and California v. Cabazon Band, the courts ruled that if states permitted gambling, then tribes located in said states could offer gambling activity without state control.
In 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulation Act (IGRA) was passed with the intent of giving states greater control of tribal gaming activities, including gambling revenues. While the tribes had won the right to control their card and bingo games, the IGRA required state approval, or a state compact, for electronic gambling activities in Indian casinos. This has led to continued debates resulting in Indians being permitted to keep gambling on their land while states receive a percentage of the gambling profits.
The debate over tribal gambling has continued, with states seeking greater control and tribes seeking greater autonomy from state and federal rules. The tribes consider gaming revenue a source of funds to build schools, hospitals and roads. With unemployment among Indian tribes frequently ten times the national average, and with over thirty percent of Indians living in poverty, gambling has become a viable source of employment and income. After generations of living in poverty on remote reservations, tribes see gambling as the mean to financial independence.
After several decades of tribal gaming, the tribes have benefited from economic advancement and tribal sovereignty. It is a certainty that as tribal gaming continues to bring in large revenues, American Indians will gain greater political power and influence.
