Tribal Government Gaming From Revolution To Evolution

How the California Nations Indian Gaming Association is working to secure the future of the industry.

THE ROLE OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIONS INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION 

Established in 1988, the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) is a non-profit organization representing 33 federally recognized tribal government members.

CNIGA is the largest and most influential tribal organization in California and is dedicated to protecting the inherent sovereign right of Indian tribes to have gaming on their land. It acts as a planning and coordinating agency for legislative, policy, legal, and communications efforts on behalf of its members and serves as an industry forum for information and resources.

HISTORY OF TRIBAL GAMING IN CALIFORNIA

It all started in 1986, when a group of California’s tribal governments embarked on a gaming journey filled with legal and political landmines that were new in California. In tents across the state, tribal governments began operating high-stake bingo games to the delight of patrons, but against the law—according to the state’s attorney general.

The state filed suit in federal court. After a long legal battle, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the tribe’s favor, recognizing that tribal governments have the right to conduct gaming on their tribal lands without interference from state or local governments. This decision would become widely known as the Cabazon Decision.

Fearing full-blown gaming on tribal lands, federal officials moved quickly to give states a limited role by requiring negotiated tribal state gaming compacts between the state and tribal governments through the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988.