Opinion ID: 6986352
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: IGRA and its Implementing Regulations

Text: In 1988, Congress adopted IGRA to provide “a statutory basis for the operation of gaming by Indian tribes as a means of promoting tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments.” 25 U.S.C. § 2702(1). IGRA places games played on Indian land into three classes: class I consists of traditional Indian games or social games played for prizes of minimal value; class II includes bingo and games similar to bingo, plus certain card games; class III is comprised of all games not in classes I or II. See id. §§ 2703(6)-(8). Only if a tribe has negotiated a tribal-state compact may it run class III games on its land. See id. at § 2710(d)(1)(C). At the time the Government brought this forfeiture action, no such compact was in place between the Cahto Tribe and the State of California. Thus, for our purposes the critical question is whether MegaMania and the MegaMa-nia terminals are class II gaming under IGRA. IGRA defines class II gaming in relevant part as follows: (i) the game of chance commonly known as bingo (whether or not electronic, computer, or other technologic aids are used in connection therewith)— (I) which is played for prizes, including monetary prizes, with cards bearing numbers or other designations, (II) in which the holder of the card covers such numbers or designations when objects, similarly numbered or designated, are drawn or electronically determined, and (III) in which the game is won by the first person covering a previously designated arrangement of numbers or designations on such cards, including (if played in the same location) pull-tabs, lotto, punch boards, tip jars, instant bingo, and other games similar to bingo,.... Id. § 2703(7)(A). IGRA, however, explicitly excludes from Class II gaming “electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance or slot machines of any kind.” Id. § 2703(7)(B)(ii). As part of its initiative to deal with tribal gaming, Congress created the National Indian Gaming Commission (“NIGC”) to regulate tribal gaming. The NIGC’s broad powers include inspecting tribes’ books and records, approving tribal-state pacts, levying and collecting civil fines, monitoring and even shutting down games, and promulgating regulations and guidelines it deems appropriate to implement IGRA. See 25 U.S.C. §§ 2705-06, 2713. The NIGC has developed regulations to refine the scope of class II gaming. One such regulation, 25 C.F.R. § 502.3, set out in the margin, for the most part adopts the language of § 2703(7)(A). 4 Another defines “a game similar to bingo” as “any game that meets the requirements for bingo under [25 C.F.R. § 502.3(a) ] and that is not a house banking game under [25 C.F.R. § 502.11].” 25 C.F.R. § 502.9. A “house banking game” is “any game of chance that is played with the house as a participant in the game, where the house takes on all players, collects from all losers, and pays all winners, and the house can win.” 25 C.F.R. § 502.11.