In Minnesota, a legal wrangle between Native tribes and a card club has reached the state’s highest court.
The dispute centers on the legal definition of gaming, according to Minnesota law, as detailed by Gambling News.
Running Aces, a suburban racetrack and card club outside St. Paul, introduced electronic gaming tables that imitate live card games such as blackjack and baccarat.
Using Interblock technology, the facilities draw players into the action with touchscreens instead of in-person dealers.
However, the activity has caught the attention of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, which insists the tables breach the state laws that give tribal casino organizers exclusive gambling rights, including these types of games.
Josh Peterson, the lawyer instructed by the tribe, presented the argument that the Running Aces have deployed digital slot machines, not standard card tables, and therefore they are encroaching on the tribes’ exclusivity.
In response, Running Aces insists it has acted in compliance with the law.
Its representative, Evan Nelson, intimated that the electronic tables do not constitute gambling under the existing legislation, while also doubting that the tribes would be losing customers to his client. He pointed to a lack of evidence that the tables were contributing to a loss of footfall from tribal casinos.
Ongoing dispute between Running Aces and Sioux Community
Previously, the Minnesota Racing Commission authorized Running Aces’ application to change its gaming floor with the addition of another electronic dealer.
That decision in 2023 led to a backlash from the Sioux tribes, with a legal battle commencing. They alleged the club had exceeded its 80-card table limit, but a lower appeals court upheld the commission’s ruling.
Supreme Court judges were divided on how the law should be interpreted, specifically what counts as a “table” under state law, with ambiguity over how many users can sit at one table and other relevant details.
The Supreme Court will sit again later this year with a decision to be made on the latest dispute, which could set a precedent for how electronic gaming disputes are regulated in Minnesota.
Image credit: Running Aces
