NOV 99-07 Comanche Indian Tribe

NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND ORDER OF TEMPORARY CLOSURE 

Ref: NOVCO 7-99 

To: Chairman 

Comanche Indian Tribe 

P.O. Box 908 

Lawton, Oklahoma 73501 

1. The Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) hereby gives notice that 

the Comanche Indian Tribe of Oklahoma (hereafter referred to as "Respondent"), located in 

Lawton, Oklahoma is in violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and NIGC 

regulations.[1] 

2. The circumstances of the violation are: 

Respondent is a federally recognized Indian Tribe with tribal headquarters in Lawton, Oklahoma. 

Respondent engages in gaming operations on tribal lands located in Lawton, Oklahoma. 

Respondent does not have a compact with the State of Oklahoma which would allow Respondent 

to operate Class III gambling devices. During a visit to the Tribe’s gaming operations on or 

about October 20, 1998, representatives of the National Indian Gaming Commission observed 

Class III machines being offered for play. Following issuance of a warning letter, NIGC 

representatives revisited the Tribe's gaming operations on February 23, 1999, and observed Class 

III video machine games being offered for play. These machines featured stop buttons operated 

by the customer and were offered in a variety of formats, including Cyberdyne, Winner's Touch 

(Lucky Dog) and Magical Touch. 

Pursuant to discussions between the Chairman and Respondent in contemplation of this Notice 

and Order, as of this date the following Class III machine games are being offered for play: 

Cyberdyne 

3. Respondent is in violation of NIGC regulations as follows: 

Under Section 502.4 of the NIGC's regulations, Class III gaming means all forms of gaming that 

are not Class I gaming or Class II gaming specifically including (but not limited to) any slot 

machines as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 1171(a)(1) and electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of 

any game of chance. Under NIGC regulations an electronic or electromechanical facsimile 

means any gambling device as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 1171(a)(2) or (3). See Section 502.8. 
The machines listed above are gambling devices as defined under 15 U.S.C. Section 1171 (a) and 

therefore fall within the definition of Class III gaming. Because Respondent does not have a 

compact with the State of Oklahoma which authorizes the playing of Class III gambling devices 

at Respondent's gaming facility, Respondent is operating such games in the absence of a tribalstate compact in violation of 25 U.S.C. § 2710(d) and 25 C.F.R. § 573.6(a)11. 

4. To correct the violations, Respondent shall comply with the following closure order. 

Closure Order 

Under the authority of 25 U.S.C. §2701 et seq. and 25 C.F.R. §573.6(a) and (b), the Chairman of 

the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) hereby gives notice that the Comanche Tribe 

of Oklahoma is ordered to cease and desist the operation of all the above-listed gaming machines 

in its gaming facilities. This order shall be effective within twenty- four hours of receipt of this 

Notice of Violation and Closure Order. 

5. The Chairman of the Commission may rescind the Closure Order for good cause shown. 

6. Expedited Review. Under 25 C.F.R. §573.6(c), within seven (7) days after service of this 

Order, Respondent may request, orally or in writing, informal expedited review by the Chairman. 

The Chairman must complete such review within two (2) days after receipt of a timely request. 

Within two (2) days after the expedited review provided by 25 C.F.R. §573.6(c), the Chairman 

must decide whether to continue the Order and must provide Respondent with an explanation of 

the basis for the decision. 

7. Appeal. Whether or not a Respondent seeks the informal expedited review described in 

paragraph 6 above, within 30 (thirty) days after service of this Notice of Violation and Order of 

Temporary Closure, Respondent may appeal to the full Commission under 25 C.F.R. Part 577 by 

submitting a notice of appeal and, if desired, request for hearing to the National Indian Gaming 

Commission, 1441 L Street, NW, Ninth Floor, Washington, DC 20005. Respondent has a right to 

assistance of counsel in such an appeal. A notice of appeal must reference this Notice of 

Violation and Order. 

Within ten (10) days after filing a notice of appeal, Respondent must file with the Commission a 

supplemental statement that states with particularity the relief desired and the grounds therefore 

and that includes, when available, supporting evidence in the form of affidavits. If Respondent 

wishes to present oral testimony or witnesses at the hearing, Respondent must include a request 

to do so with the supplemental statement. The request to present oral testimony or witnesses 

must specify the names of proposed witnesses and the general nature of their expected testimony, 

whether a closed hearing is requested and why. Respondent may waive its right to an oral

hearing and instead elect to have the matter determined by the Commission solely on the basis of 

written submissions. 

8. Fine--Submission of Information. The violations cited above may additionally result in the 

assessment of civil fines against Respondent in an amount not to exceed $25,000 per violation 

per day. Under 25 C.F.R. § 575.5(a), Respondent may submit written information about the 
violation to the Chairman within 15 days after service of this notice of violation (or such longer 

period as the Chairman of the Commission may grant for good cause). If Respondent chooses to 

appeal, pursuant to the terms of the Procedural Stipulation of May 20, 1999, to which both the 

Chairman and Respondent are parties, Respondent may submit such written information as 

provided in paragraph 12b. of said Procedural Stipulation. The Chairman shall consider any 

information submitted in determining the facts surrounding the violation and the amount of the 

civil fine, if any. 

Dated this ____ day of __________________, 1999. 

_______________________ 

Montie R. Deer 

Chairman 

National Indian Gaming Commission.

[1]NIGC regulations are set forth in Chapter III, Title 25, Parts 500-599 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations. All sections of NIGC regulations cited in this Notice refer to the pertinent parts of 

Title 25. NIGC regulations implement provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), 

25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq., signed into law on October 17, 1988.