California Signs Two New Gaming Compacts With Native American Tribes

By Ria Roebuck Joseph | Center Square contributor, The Center Square California

April 3, 2023

(The Center Square) - California signed two tribal-state gaming compacts with the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, and the Redding Rancheria.

The compacts allow the two groups to operate up to two gaming facilities each on eligible Indian lands for Nevada-style games include including slot machines, electronic games of chance, and many banked card games like blackjack. The Tribes would retain the right to acquire more lands for future expansion and negotiate for amendments to authorize gaming on those lands.

The Tribes would be entitled to operate up to a total of 1,200 gaming devices and offer off-track wagering on horse races at a satellite wagering facility.

PlayCA reports that “Tribal casinos do not pay taxes like commercial casinos. In California, tribal members who live on the reservation are not subject to state income tax, and tribal casinos do not have to pay corporate income tax. Instead of paying tax, the casinos pay fees into various funds and in some cases help support state and/or local agencies and programs. The amount they pay depends on how much revenue the casinos generate as well as the number of slot machines they operate. Each tribal-state compact determines the precise terms of the tribes’ payments and where those payments go.”

The two newest compacts signed provide for contributions to The Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, the Special Distribution Trust Fund and “The Tribal Nation Grant Fund” created by the Legislature to make discretionary distribution of funds to Non-Gaming Tribes and Limited-Gaming Tribes upon application of such tribes for purposes related to effective self-governance, self-determined community, and economic development.

Still, California’s 85 Tribal casinos generate almost $20 billion for state and local economies, $1.3 billion in revenue-sharing to the state and local governments and 125,000 jobs for Californians.

Prop 27 which would have allowed licensed tribes or gambling companies to offer online sports betting on mobile devices to people 21 years of age and older was voted down by California residents on Nov. 8, 2022.

The focus of the work of The Center Square California is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.