Opinion ID: 882965
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: tribal interests

Text: First of all, it is clear that the Blackfeet Tribe provided a comprehensive set of laws regulating gambling on its reservation, even before federal enactment of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. In 1975, the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Reservation enacted an amendment to Ordinance No. 41 of the Blackfeet Tribal Law and Order Code of 1967. That amended ordinance permitted gambling on the Blackfeet Reservation only in accordance with the ordinance. It established a gaming commission for the purpose of adopting rules and regulations pertaining to gambling and for the purpose of issuing licenses to gaming establishments. The ordinance also provided for criminal penalties for its violation. In addition to setting up this regulatory system for gaming on the Blackfeet Reservation, the Tribal Ordinance set forth specific regulations regarding sports or gambling pools; punch boards, pull tabs, and similar devices; bingo, raffles, and keno; horse race betting and pari-mutuel betting; setting the legal age for gambling; prohibiting gambling for anything other than cash; and establishing specific procedures for criminal and civil enforcement of the ordinance. There can be no question that state regulation under these circumstances would have a strong impact on the right of reservation Indians to make their own laws and be ruled by them. Furthermore, the facts in this case demonstrate that almost all of the impact of the gaming operation which the defendants were involved in was upon Indians located on the Blackfeet Reservation. The Montana Restaurant and Casino, where the activity complained of took place, was owned by three people, Donald Juneau, Bob Juneau, and Carl Kipp. Both Bob Juneau and Carl Kipp were Indians. The evidence indicated that, on the average, 90 percent of the customers who gambled on the premises were Indian. Of the 21 employees at the business, 20 were Indian. And before the business could operate, both a tribal business permit and a license for each video poker and keno machine had to be issued by the Tribal Department of Revenue. In other words, the Tribe had an interest in protecting the business's customers, providing employment on the reservation, and in generating tribal revenue. It is clear from all of the foregoing that tribal interests and the interests of the Tribe in self-government weigh heavily in favor of prohibiting State jurisdiction over the activities of the defendants.