More than 37 years after Ronald Reagan signed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), some in tribal gaming say commercial operators now appear to be taking a cue from Donald Trump and attacking the legal foundation for tribal gaming.
In January, Churchill Downs Inc. joined a growing chorus of commercial gaming interests who argue that traditional elements of tribal gaming constitute “a race-based monopoly” that violates fundamental equal protection rights. The company, which owns the famed Louisville racetrack that hosts the Kentucky Derby as well as a dozen brick-and-mortar casinos, filed a lawsuit challenging legislation that granted four tribes exclusive rights to operate online casino platforms in Maine.
