Since California voters approved Indian gambling over a decade ago, the business has exceeded all expectations and limitations. It's grown into a Vegas-sized industry that's enriched dirt-poor tribes and hired thousands more, but it's also proved hard to control as quarrels over money, scale and location flare anew.
The latest example is a headache choice for Gov. Jerry Brown. By the end of the month, he is due to decide whether two Sierra foothill tribes can build casinos miles from their backcountry reservations on prime spots near Central Valley freeways. Allowing the move, though, will anger two other tribes who operate busy slots-and-card table operations near the target spots. On the sidelines are still more tribes marooned in faraway spots watching to see which way the governor goes.
As if that wasn't bother enough, consider that casino tribes are among the biggest contributors in state politics. Along with public employee unions, these tribes are major givers to Prop. 30, the governor's measure to increase sales and income taxes, on the November ballot. Weigh the odds carefully, governor.
It's a situation that few could have predicted in 2000 when voters first approved tribal gambling. Back then proponents argued that gambling would bring a financial lift to destitute tribes with few economic prospects.
How quaint that argument sounds now. An economic study released this month by a statewide Indian gaming group claims the industry has created 52,000 jobs and pumps $7.5 billion per year into the state's economy. Of 107 federally-recognized tribes, 70 have gambling agreements and 60 operate casinos up and down the state.
The pressure to get in on this action - and expand what's already there - is a major driver in the nation's largest market for tribal gambling. In a string of pacts, the tribes and Sacramento have re-worked past deals to expand the number of slot machines, the major casino draw, in exchange for a bigger cut to the state. But Sacramento's share has generally failed to live up to predictions, especially as wagering tailed off during the recession.
Still, the pressure for more persists. In the Bay Area, San Pablo, Oakland and Richmond have been targeted for casinos. After federal authorities gave their blessing, Gov. Brown approved a 3,000-slot operation in Rohnert Park in southern Sonoma County in March.
The next frontier was unforeseen when tribal gambling began here: Internet poker. Tribes have effectively kept it bottled up in the Legislature while trying to work out a deal with rival operators of race tracks and card rooms. The tribes want a chance to sponsor online poker websites to mitigate the loss of gamblers who fill their casinos. Until the right formula is found, reservation gambling forces will likely delay the next feature in the betting world.
Through its revenue, employment and customer popularity, Indian gambling has become a permanent feature. It's not going away. But it's no longer an infant industry with benign ambitions. The original promise of limited gaming in distant corners of California is no longer true.
Now the push is on to turn gambling into a statewide business that is free to move where it wants. That's an entirely new proposition, one that California's leaders should examine carefully and not allow to happen bit by bit.
Indian gaming California-style
Voters approved Nevada-style gambling on tribal lands in California in 2000.
Today, California has:
109 federally recognized tribes
70 tribes with gambling compacts
59 tribes operate 60 casinos
Source: California Gambling Control Commission
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/editorials/article/California-tribes-casino-shopping-spree-3799738.php#ixzz245Q21bio
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