The news out of Washington DC isn’t good for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians tribe and their North Dakota gambling facility, Chippewa Downs.
The Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), E. Sequoyah Simermeyer, released a Notice of Violation (NOV) against the tribe that resulted from an in-depth investigation. It cited multiple violations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and NIGC regulations.
North Dakota gambling facility received multiple warnings from NIGC
In the full report released by the NIGC, the tribe allegedly violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and NIGC regulations. They did so by failing to do the following:
- Provide notice of intent to issue a facility license at least 120 days before allowing KEYA Radio Station to host class II and III gaming
- Issue a facility license to KEYA for hosting class II and III gaming
- Notify the NIGC within 30 days of the expiration of the Chippewa Downs facility license
- Issue a facility license to Chippewa Downs for hosting class III gaming
- Submit the Chippewa Downs facility license to the NIGC within 30 days of issuance
Simermeyer said in a press release issued on Feb.16, 2023:
“After issuing two Letters of Concern based on a detailed investigation, we issued a Notice of Violation to ensure compliance. We do not take this enforcement action lightly but issue it to preserve the integrity of the industry and protect the valuable tool Indian Gaming represents for many Tribes as codified in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.”
Tribe may face harsh penalties soon
The tribe’s gambling operations could be subject to a temporary closure order if the violations aren’t rectified. In addition, regulatory bodies may impose civil penalties on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians tribe.
The penalties are not to exceed $57,527 per day for each violation.