SANDIA AND SAN FELIPE GAMBLING COMPACTS APPROVED BY DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Sandia and San Felipe, two of the four remaining tribes still operating under older compacts, had their compacts approved by the Department of the Interior this week. Santa Ana still hasn’t upgraded to the 2015 version, relying on the 2007 compact that they signed with the state. They have no obligation to adopt the new compacts, as the 2007 compact is valid until 2037. Pojoaque Pueblo, operating on a older compact that expired in June of 2015, is embroiled in a legal dispute with the state over revenue sharing disagreements.
This brings the total of tribes operating under the 2015 compacts to 15. The new compacts expanded operating hours to seven-days-a-week, 24 hours per day. They also allow the casinos to extend credit (aka, markers) to gamblers, and allows expanded complimentary lodging and food to approved gamblers.
An article on this story in the April 6 Albuquerque Journal can be read by clicking here.
The expanded hours mainly affect problem gamblers, gamblers who would be operating slots from 2:00 to 6:00 am in the morning, long after the entertainment gamblers have gone home. That means the new compacts are even more predatory in promoting gambling addiction.
Allowing markers will put many gamblers in credit binds with the casinos. In two states, Illinois and Connecticut, casinos have been attaching liens on gamblers homes and garnishing wages when the gambler doesn’t come up with the owed money. The new theme for the New Mexico tribes could be, “Taking back our land one mortgage at a time.”
It will be interesting to see what results from the Pojoaque legal battle. If they prevail in getting revenue sharing stripped from the compacts, all the bets will be off, so to speak. All the other tribes (not just New Mexico) would likely take action to undo their required revenue sharing to their respective states.
It is time for the government to get out of the predatory gambling racket.
