What is the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act?

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) is a federal law enacted by the United States Congress in 1988. It is the federal framework for regulating Indian gaming activities and sets the rules and regulations that govern how tribal gaming will be conducted. The law is designed to protect Native American tribes, their economic and cultural self-sufficiency, and to give tribes the opportunity to generate revenues to support their communities. The IGRA establishes the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), which oversees the regulation of Class I, II, and III gaming activities on Indian lands in South Carolina. Class I gaming includes traditional ceremonial and social games that are played for minimal or no prizes. Class II gaming includes bingo, card games, and horse racing, while Class III gaming includes all other forms of gaming such as slot machines, craps, and roulette. The IGRA further divides tribes into those with gaming establishments and those without. Those with gaming establishments must have a tribal-state gaming compact that has been approved by both the tribe and the state in order for gaming activities to be conducted. States must negotiate in good faith and must have procedures in place to ensure that gaming activities are conducted in a fair and consistent manner. South Carolina does not have any tribal-state gaming compacts, so gaming activities on Indian lands within the state are regulated by the NIGC.

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What is the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act?

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