Marriage

The First Casino for Navajo Nation

The American Indian Gaming Industry will be joined by the Navajo Nation in a move that will likely increase the estimated $18.5 billion in revenues in 2004.

In 1994 and 1997 the Navajo Nation voted and declined a gaming referendum, but in 2001 the Navajo Nation Council approved a reservation-wide gaming ordinance by a vote of 44 to 19.

Only the chapter of Tohajiilee (formerly Canoncito), near Albuquerque had a legal gambling status. Most of the area was considered an illegal gaming reservation at the time.

The trouble began when the Tohajiilee project casino, on the 120 square miles land given by the congress, was launched and the chapter of the tribe deciding they would not share the casino revenue to the whole of Navajo Nation.

The central government will have to make the decisions about the gaming revenues. In 2004 the council approved the resolution that would allow gaming in five chapters - Shiprock, Hogback and Manuelito chapters in New Mexico and the Nahata Dziil and Leupp chapters in Arizona.

Six casinos have already been voted and approved for construction, four in Arizona and two in New Mexico in the referendum that has been allowed by the state.

March 1, 2006 a 299-page Navajo Nation Gaming Regulation was issued by the Navajo Nation Gaming Committee. The public's comment was open and extended until May 25.

The final version of the game regulations was issued June 27, 2006. The games regulation includes licensing, minimum internal control systems for various operations of the gaming enterprise, technical specifications for gaming devices and the regulation of chips and tokens.