NOV 99-06 - Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma

NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND ORDER OF TEMPORARY CLOSURE 

Ref: NOVCO 6-99 

To: Billy Evans Horse, Chairman 

Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma 

P.O. Box 369 

Carnegie, Oklahoma 73015 

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

Tribe of Oklahoma (hereafter referred to as "Respondent"), located in Carnegie, 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 Carnegie, Oklahoma. 

Respondent engages in gaming operations on tribal lands located in Carnegie, 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 play of those machines ceased. 

The Tribe has chosen to re-initate operation of Class III machine games, and as of this date the following 

Class III machine games are being offered for play: 

Reels & Deals 

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 identified 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 tribal-state 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 Kiowa 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.