Tribal Gambling Research Paper

LeAnne Howe’s novel Shell Shaker describes the family history and drama of a Choctaw family. In chapter 6, Auda Billy is being questioned about the murder of chief Redford McAlester. During Auda’s confession, she exposes the corruption of Native American gambling, she states “As you know, because we’re a sovereign nation, there’s no external oversight of the casino operations. Only three people- Red, Vico D’Amato and Carl Tonica- were privy to the real set of books, not the phony ones they submit to the BIA”(Howe 90). Here Auda explains how she knew that her tribe was laundering of money but did not take steps to intervene the situation. As Auda states that there were only three people, one of which was not a Native American, who ever sought

Tribal sovereignty is a highly debated concept and an important aspect of Native American society. It refers to a tribe’s power to govern itself, manage its membership, and regulate tribal relations. As Joanna Barker stated, “Sovereignty carries the awful stench of colonization.” Tribal sovereignty must be traced to the beginning of colonization in North America. Colonizing nations asserted sovereignty over indigenous people and took away their independent status. The term “tribal sovereignty” carries with it multiples meanings and implications for tribal nations (Cobb, 2005).

A history of struggle and isolation from the rest of society has led to the deterioration of Native American cultures and customs and to their rising levels of unemployment, poverty, and crime on reservations. The United States government has had a major role in the coming about of the struggles that persist for Native Americans to this day. As crime and poverty grip the Sioux tribe, they will continue to lose their traditional culture and move farther from who they once were as a people. I will first review how European explorers introduced alcohol to Native American tribes and how this lead to a strong prevalence of alcoholism in the Sioux tribe. Next I will discuss the U.S. government’s use of forced assimilation and boarding schools led to the loss of Native American culture and customs. This led to more anger of the Sioux tribe towards the U.S. government and to outer society as a whole. Third I will analyze the living conditions and complacency felt by the Sioux tribe as seen through the photographs and interviews conducted by journalist Aaron Huey. Lastly, I will assess the efforts taken by the elders and leaders of the Sioux tribe to combat the prevalence of crime on their reservation. The people of the United States and their government have caused many struggles for the Sioux tribe since their existence in America. For these problems to be resolved, the United States needs to take an active role in acknknwoldeging the problem and allocating the necessary resources

For several hundred years people have sought answers to the Indian problems, who are the Indians, and what rights do they have? These questions may seem simple, but the answers themselves present a difficult number of further questions and answers. State and Federal governments have tried to provide some order with a number of laws and policies, sometimes resulting in state and federal conflicts. The Federal Government's attempt to deal with Indian tribes can be easily understood by following the history of Federal Indian Policy. Indians all over the United States fought policies which threatened to destroy their familial bonds and traditions. The Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe of Maine, resisted no less

American Indian culture included gambling for many centuries. More than 100 tribes were known to play different versions of dice games before the Europeans settled in the United States. In the United States, gambling on Indian reservations has become quite common. There are 225 tribes in 28 states who operate some sort of gaming facility. Gambling on reservations was initially established to promote economic development in order to increase the standard of living. It was seen as a way to increase income on poverty-stricken reservations. (Momper 2010)

Power can be viewed as the ability to influence and/or control others. Another flaw about reservations is the fact that they are not totally governed by Native American representatives. The U.S. government actually has tight control over the majority, if not all, reservations (Perry, 2002, p 233). This tight control has left the Native American population powerless in terms of self- regulation. Despite the fact that Native American government do exist,

Joseph Hamilton writes, “In Southern California, where my tribe calls home, disenrollment is common, in part because of big gaming revenues and internal power struggles. It is also a symptom of the breakdown of traditional tribal power structures. Simply put, some tribal leaders listen to lawyers instead of elders” (n.d.). The smaller amount of tribal members present constitutes more money for the remaining members (Stretten, 2014).

Gambling has been around for quite some time. Initially outlawed, it became legal in 1931 and it has been an interesting road from there. The ringing of slot machines, winning at bingo or poker has become an addiction of sorts, to people of different races and cultures. And Native Americans have not been left out either.

The introduction of Native American gaming in the United States comes with mixed reactions. Some welcome this idea to promote growth in the tourism sector. Others wince because of the negative connotations connected to gambling in the Indian community. Myths exist surrounding Native American gaming and false ideas are spread about the topic. Gray areas are also not defined when discussing sovereignty of the gaming power.

In the book Rez Life, by David Treuer, it delves into the impact of gambling on life on Indian reservations. From the lengthy trial cases that led to sovereignty and gambling rights for Indians, to the economical and social ups and downs of the industry, one reigns supreme. And that is gambling’s effect on Cultural preservation. The Indian Gaming Industry helped the Indian economy but in return, it took their culture.

Under the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act, the National Indian Gaming Commission was created to enforce the rules in the act the commission has the authority to close Indian gaming operations if they are found to violate the act. The Indian Gambling Regulatory Act has three classifications to regulate the gambling on Indian tribe’s reservations. The first classification contains traditional forms of Indian games and social games. The second classification contains bingo, pull-tabs, which are cards that the stickers are pulled off to see if items match to win, and authorized card games. The third classification is what is not covered under the first and second classifications. The Indian tribes are able t, for the most part, be able to regulate the first and second classifications as long as the tribe informs the state in which the reservation resides. However, the Indian tribes have to get permission from the reservation residing state before they could conduct any gambling that falls under the third classification. An Indian tribe cannot put gambling operations on lands that are in trusts by the Secretary if the Interior for the Indian

With the federal government’s support, many Native tribes have constructed Native Governments and Corporations where the rights to land and money are placed to their own responsibility. What this actually means is that the rights of the people’s land and monetary bonds are transferred from governmental trust to

, a control and authority upon space where they get it through competition and many negotiations as I illustrate in chapter one. By having sovereignty, marketplace becomes an ethnic space where Butonese have their ability to rule their own people as well as build their ethnic solidarity among themselves. Drawing the notion of sovereignty among the Indian Seminole, Rutherford and Catellino bring the notion of sovereignty as a more practical way rather than an abstract theoretical concept. Sovereignty is a value that lives in institutions, laws and even everyday practices. It is a process to collect power in the community in order to claim their share. In Jessica Catellino’s ethnography of Florida Seminole gaming, Casino capitalism has developed

Tribal government gaming on Indian lands is significantly changing life for many of the more than 4.1 million American Indians in the United States. It has proven to be there first and most effective tool for economic development on sovereign, Tribal lands.

Indian gaming can either be casinos, bingo halls, as well as gambling operations. Gambling is an element of many traditional Indian cultures. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act categorizes Indian gaming into three classes, which are I, II, and III. Each gives different regulations. The act has impacted and caused much controversy among reservations.