Nine Native American students from Indian nations across the midwest have received scholarships from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Minnesota, the tribe announced today. The scholarship program is designed to recruit and retain talented American Indian students with demonstrated financial need.The group includes four students from Minnesota tribes, three from Wisconsin, one from South Dakota and one from North Dakota.
Since 2009, when SMSC donated $2.5 million to the University to create the scholarship fund, more than 190 students from 48 tribes in 18 states have received financial assistance. Eighty-three of them are enrolled this year, 59 in undergraduate programs and 24 in graduate studies, including three enrolled in the Master of Tribal Administration and Governance Program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
The University of Minnesota matches the interest earned on the endowment funds, with proceeds dedicated to providing scholarships for qualified American Indian students. The SMSC has donated more than $300 million to organizations and charitable causes since 1992. In addition, it funds its own community infrastructure and contributes generously to regional governments and infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and emergency services.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
SHAKOPEE VICE-CHAIRMAN ANDERSON HONORED BY NIGA
The Vice-Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has been honored by the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) with one of its most prestigious leadership awards. Keith Anderson received the John Kieffer Spirit of Sovereignty Award from NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. on September 9 at the organization's mid-year meeting in Oklahoma.
The Kieffer Award recognizes "selfless dedication to advancing the lives of Native Americans socially and economically, building self-sufficiency, and being an advocate for tribal self-determination." The award is named for John Kieffer, who was Vice-Chairman of the Spokane Tribe and served on the NIGA board from 1993 until his untimely death in 1999. Kieffer was instrumental in NIGA's development and the protection of tribal sovereignty.
Anderson has served as SMSC Vice-Chairman since August 2012, and previously served eight years as Secretary/Treasurer. He is known as a fearless advocate for tribal rights and the empowerment of tribes through economic development and policy engagement.
The Kieffer Award recognizes "selfless dedication to advancing the lives of Native Americans socially and economically, building self-sufficiency, and being an advocate for tribal self-determination." The award is named for John Kieffer, who was Vice-Chairman of the Spokane Tribe and served on the NIGA board from 1993 until his untimely death in 1999. Kieffer was instrumental in NIGA's development and the protection of tribal sovereignty.
Anderson has served as SMSC Vice-Chairman since August 2012, and previously served eight years as Secretary/Treasurer. He is known as a fearless advocate for tribal rights and the empowerment of tribes through economic development and policy engagement.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
UMD TO OFFER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN TRIBAL ADMINSTRATION
The Duluth News-Tribune is reporting that the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved the creation of a bachelor's degree program in tribal administration at the University's Duluth campus (UMD). The action follows creation in 2011 of a master's degree program in the same field. Both programs are firsts in the nation.
The Tribal Administration and Governance (TAG) program was developed in response to a "strong need" among tribal governments in the midwest and nationwide, according to Tadd Johnson, director of graduate studies for the Department of American Indian Studies. There are 566 federally recognized Indian tribes in the U.S., including 11 each in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Much of the program will be offered online, to make it more accessible to those who are unable to travel to Duluth for their studies. The curriculum covers federal Indian law, tribal government and tribal management in key areas such as health and human services, natural resources, education, housing, finance and economic development, and human resources, Johnson said.
MIGA Executive Director John McCarthy said the UMD program will be a tremendous resource for tribal governments. "Many people don't understand that tribal governments have responsibilities and obligations to their citizens, just like states. Whether they're spending federal funds or gaming revenues, they have to provide services and manage programs to meet the needs of the community. They need qualified, well-educated people to do that. Tadd Johnson and UMD have done a great service for Indian country by developing these degree programs, and they should be congratulated for it."
The Tribal Administration and Governance (TAG) program was developed in response to a "strong need" among tribal governments in the midwest and nationwide, according to Tadd Johnson, director of graduate studies for the Department of American Indian Studies. There are 566 federally recognized Indian tribes in the U.S., including 11 each in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Much of the program will be offered online, to make it more accessible to those who are unable to travel to Duluth for their studies. The curriculum covers federal Indian law, tribal government and tribal management in key areas such as health and human services, natural resources, education, housing, finance and economic development, and human resources, Johnson said.
MIGA Executive Director John McCarthy said the UMD program will be a tremendous resource for tribal governments. "Many people don't understand that tribal governments have responsibilities and obligations to their citizens, just like states. Whether they're spending federal funds or gaming revenues, they have to provide services and manage programs to meet the needs of the community. They need qualified, well-educated people to do that. Tadd Johnson and UMD have done a great service for Indian country by developing these degree programs, and they should be congratulated for it."
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
NEW JERSEY EYES SPORTS BETTING TO OFFSET CASINO FAILURES
In the wake of several major casino closings in Atlantic City, New Jersey leaders, including Governor Chris Christie, are "hoping sports betting can end Atlantic City's losing streak," according to a September 9 article in the Washington Post. The article reports that the Governor's office has filed a motion in U.S. District Court and issued a statewide "directive" that would allow casinos and racetracks to offer sports betting "without fear of criminal or civil liability."
A statement posted on the official website of Governor Christie's office said the directive was issued after a ruling in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that the state is free to remove restrictions against sports betting if it desires to do so. Although Governor Christie consistently has supported the authorization of sports betting, he vetoed a bill to approve the activity because he feared it would violate the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The Third Circuit decision found that nothing in PASPA would prohibit the state from removing its own prohibition against sports wagering.
A slow economic recovery and increased competition in neighboring states have been blamed for the closing of three Atlantic City casinos and the loss of 5,900 casino jobs so far this year. Gambling revenues in the city have dropped by 45 percent since 2006, the Post reports.
A statement posted on the official website of Governor Christie's office said the directive was issued after a ruling in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that the state is free to remove restrictions against sports betting if it desires to do so. Although Governor Christie consistently has supported the authorization of sports betting, he vetoed a bill to approve the activity because he feared it would violate the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The Third Circuit decision found that nothing in PASPA would prohibit the state from removing its own prohibition against sports wagering.
A slow economic recovery and increased competition in neighboring states have been blamed for the closing of three Atlantic City casinos and the loss of 5,900 casino jobs so far this year. Gambling revenues in the city have dropped by 45 percent since 2006, the Post reports.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
TRIBAL ONLINE POKER SITE DELAYED INDEFINITELY
The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel has announced that the online poker site it planned to launch earlier this month will be delayed indefinitely, according to PokerUpdate, an online gambling newsletter. Representatives of the tribe told the publication that they have not set a new launch date, pending "double and triple checking everything."
The article cited speculation that the delay is due to lingering concerns about the legality of the online venture, called PrivateTable.com. Although tribal representatives insist that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) allows the tribe to proceed, the California state legislature has not yet legalized online poker for California residents. Currently, Californians are able to play PrivateTable.com for play-money, but online gambling for real money remains illegal in the state.
However, that could change, according to a second article, this one in CardPlayer, another online news source. In an August 29 story, writer Brian Pempus reported that law professor and gambling expert I. Nelson Rose believes California will legalize online poker next year. Rose believes that "gaming interests in the state are more aligned that ever before on the internet poker issue." Tribes and commercial gambling companies have lobbied for the change, but Rose said election year politics got in the way of passage in 2014. Nevada already has approved online poker; New Jersey and Delaware have approved multiple online options, including slots as well as poker and other games.
The article cited speculation that the delay is due to lingering concerns about the legality of the online venture, called PrivateTable.com. Although tribal representatives insist that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) allows the tribe to proceed, the California state legislature has not yet legalized online poker for California residents. Currently, Californians are able to play PrivateTable.com for play-money, but online gambling for real money remains illegal in the state.
However, that could change, according to a second article, this one in CardPlayer, another online news source. In an August 29 story, writer Brian Pempus reported that law professor and gambling expert I. Nelson Rose believes California will legalize online poker next year. Rose believes that "gaming interests in the state are more aligned that ever before on the internet poker issue." Tribes and commercial gambling companies have lobbied for the change, but Rose said election year politics got in the way of passage in 2014. Nevada already has approved online poker; New Jersey and Delaware have approved multiple online options, including slots as well as poker and other games.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
CASINOS NO LONGER SURE WINNERS FOR STATE, NY TIMES REPORTS
'The long-standing image of gambling as a no-doubt winner for state governments has quietly gone the way of a bettor's bankroll after too many hours at the tables', according to an August 10 article in the New York Times.
The report suggests that New York State's decision to "charge headlong" into the casino business may not produce the revenue and job creation benefits that supporters, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, have promised as a "powerful economic jump-start" for economically stagnant regions of the state. Four regional full-service gambling resorts are expected to win approval this year and open next year.
Analysts and experts interviewed by the Times suggested that the gambling market already may have reached the saturation point in the Northeast. They cite casino closings in Atlantic City and cost-cutting measures at Foxwoods as just a few indications of shrinkage in the regional gaming market. In addition, the article notes that at least four of the state's nice racetrack casinos (racinos) could be "undercut and endangered" by the new casinos.
The article highlights another challenge for state officials: "choosing between areas in the greatest need of economic assistance and those where a casino could deliver the greatest impact for the state." The state comptroller's office has warned that most of the players in regional casinos will come from nearby communities rather than outside the state, producing no net gain in economic benefit.
Tribal casinos in New York were threatened with expansion in their own backyards unless they agreed to share revenues with the state. They agreed to the state’s terms, and now the Mohawk, Seneca and Oneida tribes are paying hundreds of millions into New York State coffers. The tribes are no longer actively opposing the state's effort to open new gambling venues.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
U.S. SENATORS URGE REINSTATEMENT OF ONLINE GAMBLING BAN
U. S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Attorney General Eric Holder urging them to return to the previous reading of the Wire Act of 1961, reports the August 1 edition of PokerNewsDaily online. In December 2011, the Justice Department reinterpreted the Wire Act, issuing a statement that the law "no longer bans gambling over the Internet as long as the betting is not on the outcome of a sporting event."
According to the online report, the three senators say the DOJ opinion "could usher in the most fundamental change in gambling in our lifetimes by turning every smart phone, tablet and personal computer in our country into a casino available 24 hours a day." The letter expresses their concern that online gambling could "open the door to money laundering and other criminal activity," and "prey on children and society's most vulnerable."
In March this year, Senator Graham introduced a bill to return the Wire Act to its original interpretation. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) introduced a companion bill in the House. Neither Chamber has taken action on the proposed legislation.
The member tribes of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) adopted a set of principles in April 2014 to guide the association's response to any significant internet gaming legislation that may be introduced in Congress. They include:
1) Indian tribes are sovereign governments with a right to operate, regulate, tax and license internet gaming, and those rights must not be subordinated to any non-federal authority;
2) Internet gaming authorized by Indian tribes must be available to customers in any locale where internet gaming is not criminally prohibited;
3) Consistent with long-held federal law and policy, tribal revenues must not be subject to tax;
4) Existing tribal government rights under tribal-state compacts and Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) must be respected;
5) The legislation must not open up the IGRA for amendments;
6) Federal legalization of internet gaming must provide positive economic benefits for Indian Country; and,
7) Indian tribes possess the inherent right to opt into a federal regulatory scheme to ensure broad-based access to markets.
MIGA Executive Director John McCarthy said Minnesota tribes have not taken a formal position on internet gambling, but generally support the NIGA principles, which underscore federal policies supporting Indian self-determination and the U.S. Constitution's recognition of tribes as sovereign governments.
According to the online report, the three senators say the DOJ opinion "could usher in the most fundamental change in gambling in our lifetimes by turning every smart phone, tablet and personal computer in our country into a casino available 24 hours a day." The letter expresses their concern that online gambling could "open the door to money laundering and other criminal activity," and "prey on children and society's most vulnerable."
In March this year, Senator Graham introduced a bill to return the Wire Act to its original interpretation. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) introduced a companion bill in the House. Neither Chamber has taken action on the proposed legislation.
The member tribes of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) adopted a set of principles in April 2014 to guide the association's response to any significant internet gaming legislation that may be introduced in Congress. They include:
1) Indian tribes are sovereign governments with a right to operate, regulate, tax and license internet gaming, and those rights must not be subordinated to any non-federal authority;
2) Internet gaming authorized by Indian tribes must be available to customers in any locale where internet gaming is not criminally prohibited;
3) Consistent with long-held federal law and policy, tribal revenues must not be subject to tax;
4) Existing tribal government rights under tribal-state compacts and Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) must be respected;
5) The legislation must not open up the IGRA for amendments;
6) Federal legalization of internet gaming must provide positive economic benefits for Indian Country; and,
7) Indian tribes possess the inherent right to opt into a federal regulatory scheme to ensure broad-based access to markets.
MIGA Executive Director John McCarthy said Minnesota tribes have not taken a formal position on internet gambling, but generally support the NIGA principles, which underscore federal policies supporting Indian self-determination and the U.S. Constitution's recognition of tribes as sovereign governments.
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