Down in the Cotton State, it would appear that a tribal gaming power will have its operations affected by a potential new bill. Per one report, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians will not be allowed to expand their gambling operations in Alabama (or anywhere else) if a proposed U.S. House bill becomes law. According to anti-gambling personnel in the state, if the bill, which is sponsored by Reps. Jerry Carl, Terri Sewell, Mike Rogers, and Barry Moore, should pass, it would allow PCI to “snap up land left and right.” This in turn would place that land in trust and start dotting Alabama’s landscape with casinos. This is a claim, as one report says, that ignores the plain language of federal laws governing Native American gaming, decades of history, and common sense.
In this article, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news coming from the state of Alabama, along with some more notes and information related to gaming and beyond.
According to the report, whether purposefully or because they genuinely don’t understand the laws, “quite a few people” have regurgitated this erroneous explanation of HR6180. In this case, HR6180 reaffirms the Indian Reorganization Act’s applicability to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and in doing so, they have unfairly made it seem as if PCI has sinister, secret motives. According to the same article, the reality is the bill does exactly what it says, and nothing more. It codifies into law that PCI is a federally recognized tribe under the IRA, ensuring the tribe continues to have the same rights as other federally recognized tribes.
“The sole purpose of my bill … is to update the Indian Reorganization Act to ensure Poarch Creek’s land taken into trust is treated the same under federal law as are sovereign lands of most federally recognized Indian tribes,” Carl said in a statement. “ Poarch Creek has invested in dozens of businesses all over Alabama and the world, including real estate, agriculture, education, health care, entertainment, and so much more. This continued investment has created thousands of jobs and revitalized so many communities and families.”
The representative would go on to elaborate on the report. “I introduced my bill to ensure Poarch Creek has a fair playing field so they can continue to do this work and further grow their impact. My bill has absolutely nothing to do with gaming, does not change a single law regarding gaming in Alabama, and does not change the federal oversight process for Indian Gaming.”
Per the article, in 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case Carcieri v. Salazar ruled that the Bureau of Indian Affairs could no longer take lands into trust for tribes that were not federally recognized at the time of the Indian Reorganization Act, in 1934. It was a strange and unexpected ruling that threw 70 years of government actions into question. Suddenly, tribes that had enjoyed federal protection for decades – and that could document their history and the gross injustices perpetrated upon them – were facing lawsuits from all corners over trust lands per the reporter. The Poarch Creeks were not spared.
According to the article, the state of Alabama then sued. Private citizens sued and businesses sued as well. It was a mess, and several tribes turned to their representatives in Congress for help. Recognizing the “insanity that was about to be unleashed” and the need for corrective action, several congressmen sponsored legislation to help reaffirm some tribes’ standing and their rights under the IRA. Congress as a whole made it clear that it was supportive of such fixes. That is why Sewell said she supports the current legislation on behalf of the Poarch Creeks.
“We have an obligation to ensure that our Native communities are fairly and adequately protected under federal law,” Sewell said. “This legislation is about providing clarity and certainty to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. It is about ensuring that their land taken into trust receives the same protections afforded to most other federally recognized Indian tribes.”
The pathway to this fix for PCI has been a “tad bumpy,” due primarily to Alabama’s long, weird fight over legalized gambling and the tribe’s right to operate bingo casinos. No matter where you fall on that argument, it’s undeniable that the controversial nature of Alabama’s gambling laws made passing a Carcieri fix beneficial to the Poarch Creeks a “hot-button issue.”
After you are all up to speed regarding the latest and greatest news coming from Alabama, make sure to tap into the awesome array of info for you only at SBS. Of course, for even more information on the state covered here, make sure to peruse the sports betting in Alabama guide which goes over all of the latest Cotton State gambling updates. Meanwhile, if you are someone that is interested in diversifying their deposit and withdrawal options, look no further than the payment methods rundown which goes over a variety of options. This includes everything from cryptocurrencies to more traditional banking routes and beyond. Finally, if you are interested in some higher stakes wagering, look no further than the VIP sports betting sites breakdown which covers a bunch of great information about VIP wagering and if it might make sense for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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