Long restricted to Native American reservations, tribal-operated casinos in California look ready to expand in a big way. One off-reservation casino has already been authorized, which has other tribes looking at whether they can not transfer to other areas of the state as well.

Compacts Allow for Brand New Sites

The expansion formally started weeks ago, whenever the State Legislature approved a tight involving the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and Governor Jerry Brown. The tribe was allowed by that compact to construct a casino featuring 2,000 slot machines in Madera County. This is notable because the site of the casino will be over 30 miles from the lands historically occupied by the tribe the result of a long and ultimately fruitful negotiation between the tribe, other tribes, plus the state government.

That move has given other tribes hopes of moving away from their conventional reservations as well. There are now other tribes looking at casinos in Yuba County, San Bernardino County and Imperial County aswell.

But there is no guarantee that any of these projects will fundamentally get forward. Anti-casino teams are already lining up to give voters a chance to block the Mono Indian task, suggesting that voters should have the opportunity to veto the project through a referendum.

Citizens Want a Say

‘If we are going to have one ma