Thursday, April 17, 2025 — Tribes challenge states on remaining roadblocks to gaming

The state of Alaska is actively working to shut down a gaming hall just opened by the Native Village of Eklutna. The Chin’an Gaming Hall is doing a brisk business with pull-tabs and 85 bingo machines in an unassuming building just outside of Anchorage. But state officials maintain the operation is illegal because the tribe does not control the land it is on. Elsewhere, in Maine, tribes are also working against state resistance to expand gaming. They face a regulatory reality that is different from tribes in other states because of legislation in 1980 limiting Maine’s tribes’ gaming enterprise ability. Note: since this show aired, the Alaska Department of Law sent a written statement about their position on the Chin’an Gaming Hall: “This case is about jurisdiction over lands. We are asking a court to reaffirm what it has already said—the State maintains primary jurisdiction over Alaska Native Allotments. A solicitor’s opinion cannot convert them into Indian reservations,” said Deputy Attorney General Cori Mills. “We are asking for the court to make sure the issues can be resolved before further development occurs—we believe keeping the status quo best protects all parties involved. Once the litigation is completed, then everyone will know where their lane is.” GUESTS Aaron Leggett (Dena’ina Athabascan), president of the Native Village of Eklutna Aaron Dana (Passamaquoddy), Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Chez Oxendine (Lumbee), staff writer for Tribal Business News   Break 1 Music: Thick as Thieves (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album) Break 2 Music: Learned from the Late Ralph Kotay (song) Kenneth Cozad & Group (artist) Songs of Our Old People – Old-Time Round Dance Songs of Oklahoma (album)