| This article contains information about Arizona casinos | | | | leverage over gaming on any United States Tribe |
| and the popularity of them in the desert southwest. | | | | reservation. |
| This article also contains the history of Arizona slot | | | | Prior to this Act, the 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in |
| machines and what the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act | | | | California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, really |
| which governs slot machines, meant to the Tribes of | | | | meant that states do not have any regulatory authority |
| Arizona. | | | | when it comes to Indian reservation casinos. |
| If you have traveled to Arizona, you probably have | | | | The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 permitted |
| noticed that there is no question that Arizona Casinos | | | | states and Indian Tribes to be able to regulate Class III |
| are more than just a popular form of entertainment. | | | | Tribal gaming, which is inclusive of games such as |
| Casinos in Arizona are popular and have been for | | | | blackjack, slot machines, keno and other such related |
| many years. | | | | casino style games. |
| A study done by NAU (Northern Arizona University) | | | | During the early 1990s, there were several Arizona |
| confirmed the popularity through an extensive | | | | Tribes that had installed slot machines in their casinos |
| research project. NAU researched gaming and when | | | | even though none of them had Tribal-State Gaming |
| the study was completed, the results were very clear. | | | | Compacts with the state. At that time, the Arizona |
| The report indicated that one-third of all Arizonans | | | | governor Symington believed that Native American |
| responded that they too, had gambled in a casino in | | | | reservations should not be allowed to have casinos, |
| Arizona. | | | | because at that time, Arizona did not permit any |
| In 1988, the U.S. It was Congress who passed an act | | | | gambling that was considered to be off-reservation. |
| which later became known as the Indian Gaming | | | | Tribes contended that Arizona was already permitting |
| Regulatory Act, also referred to as IGRA. IGRA has | | | | gambling by allowing gambling acts such as horse and |
| long recognized the popular entertainment form of | | | | dog racing, charity bingo games, as well as the state |
| gaming and has used it as a means to promote | | | | lotteries that were readily available. |
| economic development of many Indian Tribes. | | | | The National Indian Gaming Commission issued rules |
| There are many people who honestly believe that | | | | that clarified these rules in 1992, which said that a Tribe |
| casinos have been the answer to Native Americans | | | | must have a gaming Compact with a state before it is |
| becoming self sufficient in order to be able to promote | | | | allowed to operate slot machines on its land. |
| their own Tribal government through the money profits | | | | Following this ruling, the Arizona Governor called on the |
| of these such Arizona casinos. | | | | United States Attorney in Phoenix, Arizona, to proceed |
| The AIGA organization represents the membership of | | | | to shut down any and all casinos that had slot |
| some 19 Tribes and represent 90 percent of the | | | | machines. It was like something that you would see in |
| Native American Indians who live on the reservations | | | | a movie. FBI agents raided several Indian gaming |
| within the sate of Arizona. This organization was | | | | casinos and seized their gaming slot machines. |
| created to help both protect and promote the welfare | | | | At the Fort McDowell Casino located near Scottsdale, |
| of Native American Indian Tribes. Their focus is still the | | | | Arizona, many of the Native American Tribal members |
| same which is to assist their members to become self | | | | tried to prevent these agents from removing their slot |
| reliant. | | | | machines by forming a blockade which resulted in a |
| The organization stands by their belief that they are | | | | three week long standoff. |
| most definitely committed to both maintaining and | | | | One year later in 1993, the governor signed off on an |
| protecting the Indian sovereign government authority. | | | | agreement with the Native American Indian tribes |
| The Regulatory Act permits any state to be able to | | | | which allowed Tribes to have these gaming slot |
| operate Native American Indian gaming on the | | | | machines on each of their reservations. |
| reservations as long as the state permits such gaming | | | | Not included in this Compact agreement were any |
| activities off-reservation. | | | | table games. In 2003, however, the popular game of |
| The IGRA Act was a result of a Supreme Court ruling | | | | blackjack was added to the list of table games that |
| that basically said that states do not have any | | | | were allowed. |