Vitter's View: Reforming the Indian Gambling Process

Statement

Indian casino gambling has expanded significantly in the last decade, with many tribes locating casinos on lands to which they have little or no connection. This process, known as forum shopping, is done specifically to enable tribes to obtain an economic advantage.

We have seen attempts at forum shopping first hand in Louisiana - in DeSoto and Calcasieu parishes - and local residents have succeeded in opposing the approval of planned casinos in their communities. But communities like these should have more opportunity to decide whether they want to allow casinos.

In the coming weeks, I will introduce the Common Sense Indian Gambling Reform Act of 2008 to increase the input of local communities in the Indian casino approval process and protect local communities from being exploited by such activities.

My bill would prohibit tribes from forum shopping and requires that they have a geographic, social and historical connection with the land they intend to use as the site of a casino. It also adds new levels of oversight and allows for the input of local governments and communities.

U.S. Department of Interior officials should be required to consult with all of a community's officials before establishing a gambling area in a specific location, and the state legislature should also have a chance to play a role in the application process. These additional layers of local input can help ensure that the department's decisions are in the best interest of the local community and the tribe.

There are several hundred Indian tribes across the nation operating casinos in 28 states, including three in Louisiana. This growth requires greater accountability and a more transparent process that allows for input from local and state governments. We can take great steps to reform this process through measures that will prevent forum shopping and provide states and local governments the input they deserve in their communities.

Please let me know about any issues of importance to you and your family by contacting me at any of my state offices or in my Washington office by mail at U.S. Senator David Vitter, U.S. Senate, 516 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, or by phone at 202-224-4623. You can also reach me on the web at http://vitter.senate.gov.

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