Bill Allowing California Tribes to Sue Cardrooms Gains Traction

For years, Native American Tribes in California and cardrooms argued over the legality of games offered by the latter. The Tribes’ main issue is with poker, baccarat and blackjack games offered by cardrooms.

Their opponents found a way to offer such games through third-party proposition player providers and argued that those games operate in line with the gambling regulations in California. At the same time, cardrooms provide vital support by employing thousands of workers and contributing toward the local economy.

In a recent move by lawmakers in California, the Tribes and cardrooms may finally have the ability to resolve their issues in court. This would be achieved through SB 549, a proposal titled “Tribal Nations Access to Justice Act.” In essence, the proposal enables Tribes and cardrooms to resolve their disputes in a state court.

SB 549 picked up significant speed last week after it was cleared by the California Assembly and the Senate as well. First off, the Assembly signed off on the bill on Thursday with 62 members supporting the proposal, 17 members abstaining and no votes in opposition.

After that, SB 549 gained further traction in the Senate on Saturday. During the voting, 32 members voted in favor of the proposal, two voted against and six abstained. This means that the bill was ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Given that there are no further hiccups, Tribal operators and cardrooms may soon be able to resolve their conflict in court. SB 549 was a necessity considering the sovereign status of Native American Tribes in California. In light of this sovereign status, Tribes cannot file lawsuits or be sued in state courts. However, SB 549 seeks to address this, giving the Tribes the option to file their dispute against cardrooms.

The Bill Will Enable the Two Sides to Resolve a Long-Lasting Conflict

Supporters of cardrooms have previously voiced their concerns that a move of the legislators that would permit Tribes to sue may tip the scales. Still, it’s important to note that the proposal only permits this possibility without giving an advantage to one side or the other. This means that even if Tribes file a dispute in court against cardrooms, they still need to win such a trial as the lawsuit itself doesn’t guarantee a win in their favor.

Tuari Bigknife, Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians’ attorney general, who was recently interviewed by PlayUSA, spoke about the importance of the Assemblymembers who supported the bill. He explained that SB 549 supports the “California tribes’ basic civil right to access justice.”