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Montana Tribe Loses Gambling License

KALISPELL, Montana – As reported by the Missoulian: "A Flathead Indian Reservation casino lost its gambling license Thursday after failing to pay for a controversial audit required by tribal gaming officials.

"'As of 2 p.m. today, they were told to turn off their machines,' said Gene Sorrell, executive director of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Gaming Commission. 'It's too bad. It's really a lose-lose situation on both sides.'

"By that he means the owners of gambling machines at Polson's Jackpot Casino will no longer enjoy gaming revenue - but then neither will the tribes, which take a healthy bite of the profits from reservation gambling.

"Owners at several casinos believe that bite has become a bit too healthy, and the bill for the financial audit is being challenged by at least three other casino owners.

"…According to Sorrell, the federal law passed to allow Indian gaming also created a National Indian Gaming Commission to oversee and regulate all reservation gambling.

"That commission, he said, requires that individual tribal gaming commissions be established to enforce federal rules at the local level…"

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