OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Gambling Commission (WSGC) has reached a tentative agreement with the Nooksack Indian Tribe on an amendment to its Class III gaming compact. The proposed amendment includes provisions that already exist in other tribal compacts, including a framework for sports wagering and a framework for electronic table games at the Tribe’s gaming facility, updated age restrictions, and updated amendment process section. (full amendment attached).
Washington State Gambling Commission Chairperson Alicia Levy said of the tentative compact amendment: “We appreciate working with the Nooksack Tribe in order to update age restrictions along with other ways to ensure gaming stays legal and honest as they move toward opening sports wagering at their facility.”
The Nooksack Tribal Chair Rosemary LaClair said of the tentative compact amendment: “The Nooksack Tribe wants to thank the Washington State Gaming Commission and its negotiating team for being part of a collaborative, transparent and productive negotiation that resulted in an improved gaming compact for the Nooksack Tribe and the State of Washington.”
Next Steps:
1. Formal notification about the proposed compact amendment was conveyed to the Governor, Legislature and others.
2. The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee and the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee will hold public hearings.
3. The Gambling Commission will vote at its public meeting on March 13,2025, and decide whether or not to forward the proposed compact amendment to the Governor.
4. If the Commission votes to forward the Tribe’s amendment, it will be sent to the Tribal Chair for final consideration and signature.
5. Once the Tribal Chair signs the amendment, it will be sent to the Governor for final consideration and signature.
6. 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.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 provides that Indian tribes may conduct Class III gaming activities on Indian lands when the gaming is conducted in conformance with a tribal-state compact. RCW 9.46.360 provides that the Gambling Commission negotiate those compacts on behalf of the state. The Nooksack Indian Tribe’s tribal-state compact for Class III gaming was originally signed on October 28, 1991, and this is the eighth amendment. Public comments regarding this compact amendment may be submitted to compactcomments@wsgc.wa.gov.