Another Meskwaki?

Thread: Indian Gaming in the News

In 2003, the NIGC closed the Meskwaki casino in Iowa during an intra-tribal dispute over a tribal election. Now, a similar dispute in South Dakota may threaten the Oglala Sioux Tribe's Prairie Wind Casino.

Because IGRA allows only federally recognized tribes to operate gaming establishments, "should it develop that the folks who control the tribe and control the tribal gaming facility aren't the recognized tribal government, then we would probably have to take some enforcement action," explained NIGC Chair Phil Hogen.

For the Meskwaki, that enforcement action was to close the casino for more than seven months, forcing the tribe to forgo gaming revenue and to put some 1,300 employees out of work.