Indian gaming is a significant economic driver for Tribal communities across the United States and an important focus area for our firm.
With our combined knowledge of federal Indian Law and gaming regulations, we're ideally suited to represent all parties involved, including Tribal governments, gaming agencies, and individuals appearing before gaming agencies. From compact negotiations to complicated operational compliance issues, we use our experience on all sides of the issues to help you succeed in this dynamic gaming sector.
Our national Indian gaming practice encompasses many legal areas, including regulatory compliance, compact negotiations, state and federal legislation, game licensing, real estate and project development, financial transactions, intellectual property protection, litigation, and the legal aspects of our clients' general business operations.
A Complete View of the Issues
We regularly represent both gaming agencies and individuals appearing before gaming agencies. When representing a gaming agency, our lawyers assist with securing and renegotiating Tribal-state compacts, supervising licensing investigations, advising gaming agencies on the suitability of prospective licensees, and representing agencies before gaming boards and administrative law judges.
When representing individuals, our lawyers help applicants prepare gaming applications, assist applicants during licensing investigations, and represent applicants appealing adverse licensing and certification determinations.
Regulatory Compliance Advice and Support
When providing clients with regulatory support, we rely on our team's significant experience reviewing, drafting, and amending gaming statutes and regulations in jurisdictions across the U.S. and internationally. Our lawyers regularly interact with the United States Senate Indian Affairs Committee, select members of Congress and their staff members, state legislators in Arizona, California, and Washington, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the National Indian Gaming Commission. In our practice, we frequently review gaming regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with IGRA, NIGC regulations, and the applicable Tribal state gaming compact, keeping constitutional considerations in mind.
Licensing, Compliance, and Enforcement
As experienced lawyers in this sector, we've assisted countless gaming employees, lenders, vendors, and third parties in obtaining Tribal gaming licenses, approvals, and permits. We also advise gaming entities on complying with Tribal gaming regulatory requirements and Tribal gaming commissions regarding their licensing procedures. Our licensing experience includes supervising licensing investigations, vetting prospective licensees, and representing commissions in court.
Litigation
Our firm is recognized nationwide for our work litigating on behalf of Tribal clients. We have successfully represented Indian tribes in Tribal, state, and federal courts. Most significantly, the firm was co-counsel in the groundbreaking case of Rincon v. Schwarzenegger, which ruled on when a state could legitimately negotiate for revenue sharing in compact negotiations and, conversely, when demands by a state would constitute an illegal tax. See Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission v. Schwarzenegger, 602 F.3d 1019 (9th Cir. 2010).
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