California cardrooms ask for closure of tribal casinos

Cardrooms have been forced to close again after a rise in Covid-19 cases, but tribal casinos remain open.

US.- California’s cardrooms have asked Governor Gavin Newsom to close tribal casinos in the state.

The requests came after Newsom ordered a second shut down of commercial cardrooms along with all other indoor business in 19 counties due to a rise in Covid-19 cases at the beginning of the month.

As tribal casinos operate on sovereign land, they are not subjected to the lockdown and can remain open. The situation has led commercial cardrooms to call on the governor to close all venues, including the tribal casinos, through a letter via the California Gaming Association.

The letter said: “In response to your July 1 order, all cardrooms in the targeted counties are now closed. In contrast, all tribal casinos in the targeted counties remain open. This is inconsistent with your directive and public health and safety protocols.”

The CGA pointed to section 12.1 of the gaming compact between the tribes and the state, which states that “the Tribe shall not conduct Class III Gaming in a manner that endangers the public health, safety or welfare.”

CGA President Kyle Kirkland said: “Our position is that if we are all in this together, then we’re all in this together. If there is a genuine risk to the health and safety of the public, which I believe there is, and I think we have all bought into, the idea is ‘Hey, use your authority to make it happen’.”