The second California tribe has come out against a ‘broad and blanket’ ban on sweepstakes games.
Hot on the heels of the business arm of the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation voicing opposition to California’s Assembly Bill 831, another California tribe, Virgil Moorehead, Tribal Chairperson of Big Lagoon Rancheria, has also written to the committee in charge of the bill to request that they pause consideration of AB 831 to “allow additional time for meaningful tribal consultation and consideration of this critical issue”.
The letter highlights that the bill has changed drastically since it first came to the California Senate in June. Moorehead argues that its changes have transformed it from a technical move into “a broad and blanket prohibition of various types of online gaming.” Although the majority of Californian tribes appear to support the bill, Moorehead represents the second to voice opposition.
“AB 831 was advanced in the Senate without the meaningful, government-togovernment consultation that is owed to all California tribes under both federal and state policy commitments,” he writes.
“This approach undermines California’s stated commitments to tribal consultation and erodes trust between California and its tribal governments.”
Moorehead takes issue with several points of AB 831
In particular, he argues that the broad terminology of who the bill affects would affect tribes, which is against federal law. In addition, by locking tribes out of digital gambling pursuits, the bill will affect the earning potential, especially for smaller tribes that don’t operate large casinos. Moorehead calls on the committee to consider meaningful alternatives that take these concerns into account.
This comes as time is starting to run out for opposition for the bill, following a series of unanimous votes throughout the summer. While it has the backing of some other Californian tribes, the bill remains in the suspense file until it can be looked over by the correct committee.
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