OLYMPIA, WA – A tentative agreement has been reached by the Washington State Gambling Commission (WSGC) and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation to amend the tribes’ Class III gaming compact. The amendment updates regulatory and operational processes that have been in place for 30 years and adds new provisions for operation of the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester.
Changes to the compact include provisions to add sports wagering, operate higher wager limits or extend credit to customers. Also included is additional funding earmarked for public programs.
“This amendment is an agreement with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation to join other tribes modernizing their gaming operations and adding sports wagering to their casinos,” said WSGC Chair Bud Sizemore. “It also means a boost in funding for programs to help people struggling with problem gambling along with charitable contributions and community impact funding.”
“The Chehalis Tribe views this updated Compact as an expression of the continued excellent working relationship between the tribe and the state and the continuation of the tribe’s well-regulated offer of safe gaming for the citizens of the State of Washington,” said Chairman Harry Pickernell, Sr. of the Chehalis Tribe.
Next steps Include:
- Formal notification about the proposed compact amendment will be conveyed to the Governor, Legislature, and others
- The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee and House Commerce and Gaming Committee will hold public hearings
- The Gambling Commission will vote at its public meeting on May 12, 2022 and decide whether or not to forward with the proposed compact amendment to the Governor
- If the Commission votes to forward the tribe’s amendment, it will be sent to the tribal Chair for final consideration and signature
- Once the tribal Chair signs the amendment, it will be sent to the Governor for final consideration and signature
- After obtaining the signatures of the tribal Chair and the Governor, the tribe will send the amendment to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior for consideration, signature, and publication in the Federal Register
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 provides that Indian tribes may conduct Class III gaming activities on Indian lands when the gaming is conducted in conformance with a tribal-state compact. RCW 9.46.360 provides that the Gambling Commission negotiate those compacts on behalf of the state. The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation’s tribal-state compact for Class III gaming was originally signed on Dec. 21, 1992, and this is the sixth amendment.
