In Oklahoma, there has been a surprise breakthrough in the bid by the Iowa tribe to set up an international online poker site outside the USA, using Universal Entertainment Group’s branding PokerTribe.com.
Our readers may recall that late last year the state’s opposition to the Iowa tribe’s intentions ended up in an independent arbitration action.
In a follow-up, the publication Law 360 reports this week that Oklahoma state officials have indicated to the arbitrator that the tribe may be permitted to proceed, saying there was no good cause to hold off on giving tribal authorities approval for the claim that the PokerTribe project is within the provisions of its gambling compact with the state.
The arbitrator, a retired federal judge, found in favour of the tribe on condition that operations be conducted from within the tribal gambling area to conform with the state-tribe compact. That should not present a problem for the Iowa, who operate three land casinos, and the tribe followed up by requesting a summary judgement allowing it to proceed with its online project.
Thus far the Iowa have had more success on the online gambling issue than the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes did on a similar drive three years ago. That caught the hostile attention of the US Department of Indian Affairs which bogged the project down in litigation and red tape under the provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and ultimately led to the Cheyenne and Arapaho abandoning the project (see previous reports).
But the case was never subjected to judicial scrutiny or findings, and that leaves the door open for another federal attack should the Department of Indian Affairs feel so inclined.
Universal Entertainment Group spearheaded the abortive Cheyenne and Arapaho project as well, and reportedly made just under $10 million in fees before the project even achieved operational status.