Tribes plead case before Boren, Cole

MIAMI, OK — U.S. Rep. Tom Cole erased any doubt Wednesday concerning his stance on proposed restrictions to America's $22 billion Indian gaming industry.

During a congressional field hearing on the issue, Cole, R-Moore, called the idea "not only destructive, but highly unjust.”

The National Indian Gaming Commission, which regulates the industry, wants to clarify the difference between Class II, or bingo-based electronic machines, and Class III slot machines such as those found in Las Vegas. Technology developed over the last two decades has blurred that distinction, regulators say.

Most experts agree the proposed changes would make existing Class II games illegal, forcing tribes to pay states a share of profits in return for the right to offer Class III games.

That's already happening in Oklahoma, thanks to voters' approval of tribal gaming compacts in late 2004. Since then, tribes have migrated further toward an exclusive Class III market. About half of the state's 50,000 electronic gambling machines are compacted machines, federal regulators say.

Oklahoma tribes want the right to keep attractive Class II games to satisfy gamblers who don't like the new games. They also fear the proposals would hurt their leverage when the current Oklahoma compacts expire in 2020.

Several tribe officials who testified at Tuesday's congressional field hearing said the proposal would infringe on tribal sovereignty.

The hearing, held at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, drew about 200 people, mainly tribal representatives and attorneys. It was scheduled by Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee.

Both Cole and Boren sit on the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees American Indian matters. They were the only House members present, although others sent staff.

The issue is especially important in Oklahoma, which had 59 percent of all the tribe-run Class II machines in the country as of December 2006.

Miami and Ottawa County, with 10 Indian gaming locations, stand to be affected by the proposed rules more than virtually any other Oklahoma community.

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