OLYMPIA, Washington - A tentative agreement has been reached by the Washington State Gambling Commission and the Nisqually Indian Tribe to amend the tribe's Class III gaming compact. The amendment updates regulatory and operational processes that have been in place almost 30 years and adds new provisions for operation of the Red Wind Casino on the Nisqually Indian Tribe's reservation in Olympia.
Changes to the compact include provisions to add sports wagering, operate higher wager limits or extend credit to customers. Also included is additional funding earmarked for public programs. (Read Full Amendment Here).
This amendment allows the Nisqually Indian Tribe to modernize their gaming operations and help prepare for the addition of sports wagering, said WSGC Chair Bud Sizemore. It also means greater contributions to help fund programs to help people struggling with problem gambling as well as charitable contributions and community impact funding.
I would like to thank and commend Governor Inslee, Gambling Commission Interim Director Griffin and Commission staff for their diligence in negotiating an amended gaming compact with the Nisqually Tribe, said Nisqually Tribal Chairman William Frank III. The amended compact is an agreement between the Tribe and the State that will provide benefits not only for the Nisqually people, but also for our neighboring local communities and the people of Washington as a whole. It will allow nearly thirty years of Tribal gaming success to continue and ensure that gaming will benefit the Nisqually people well into the future.
Next steps Include:
- Formal notification about the proposed compact amendment will be conveyed to the Governor, Legislature, and others.
- The Joint Senate Labor and Commerce Committee and House Commerce and Gaming Committee public hearing will be on March 2, 2022, at 8 am.
- The Gambling Commission will vote at its public meeting on April 14, 2022 and decide whether or not to forward the proposed compact amendment to the Governor.
- If the Commission votes to forward the Tribe's amendment, it will be sent to the Tribal Chair for final consideration and signature.
- Once the Tribal Chair signs the amendment, it will be sent to the Governor for final consideration and signature.
- After obtaining the signatures of the Tribal Chair and the Governor, the Tribe will send the amendment to the Secretary of the United States Department of Interior for consideration, signature, and publication in the Federal Register.