Class I gaming is under the complete authority of tribal governments. Class II gaming is regulated primarily by tribal gaming commissions and secondarily by the National Indian Gaming Commission. Class III gaming is regulated primarily by the tribal gaming commissions and the National Indian Gaming Commissions. To conduct Class III gaming a tribal government must enter into a Class III gaming compact with the State and have it approved by the Department of Interior. The compact can allocate regulatory responsibilities between the tribe and the state.
Tribal governments are similarly afforded federal assistance.
In some instances federal assistance is provided to tribal governments and their members as promises made by the United States as tribal lands were ceded and traditional economies were destroyed. Gaming is harmful to a very small percentage of those individuals who game. These individuals are usually those that are susceptible to many forms of addictive behaviors. The majority of customers recognize that gaming is a form of entertainment and act accordingly as to personal accountability for their time and money. Tribes only care about profits and do not care if people get hurt by gambling.