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Tribe says it has federal approval for Martha's Vineyard casino12 November 2013The Boston Globe reports that the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah today declared it has won federal approval to open a casino on its tribal land on Martha’s Vineyard, introducing a surprising new wrinkle to the state’s unsettled gambling industry. The Globe report states that the tribe pledges to now move ahead with a plan to convert an unfinished tribal community center on the island into a temporary casino, until a permanent facility can be built. The Aquinnah, based on the island, are a separate tribal government from the Mashpee Wampanoag, who are seeking federal approval to build a casino in Taunton. The Mashpee have a different set of legal challenges to overcome, primarily that they don’t control any sovereign Indian land. According to the Globe report, tribal casinos can only be built on Native American reservations or land held in federal trust on a tribe’s behalf. According to the Globe, the tribe’s initial plans are for what tribal gambling law calls a Class II facility, which permits games such as high-stakes bingo, poker and some varieties of slot machines. To run a wider variety of Las Vegas-style games, such as blackjack and roulette, the tribe must negotiate with Governor Deval Patrick on an agreement known as a compact. In general, compacts provide tribes certain benefits in exchange for a share of gambling revenue. |