California Gov. signs gaming compacts with Timbisha Shoshone, Elem Pomo and Augustine Band tribes

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed new tribal-state gaming compacts with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and the Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria. Additionally, the Governor signed an extension to the gaming compact with the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians.

The Timbisha Shoshone Tribe's compact permits the tribe to conduct Class III gaming activities, including gaming devices and certain card games, at their designated gaming facility.

The compact outlines stringent regulatory requirements, including environmental and safety standards, which the tribe must meet to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.

Moreover, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe is obligated to make financial contributions to state funds that support regulatory oversight and community programs.

The newly signed compact with the Elem Indian Colony authorizes the tribe to operate up to 349 gaming devices across two gaming facilities located within their reservation in Lake County.

The compact emphasizes regulatory oversight, requiring detailed licensing and suitability determinations for gaming employees and suppliers. The compact also mandates quarterly financial contributions to the state's Special Distribution Fund, which supports regulatory activities and problem gambling programs.

In addition, it also reinforces commitment to contributing to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, benefiting non-gaming and limited-gaming tribes.

Meanwhile, the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, which originally entered into a gaming compact with the state in 2000, has secured an extension through 2025.

This third amendment does not alter the terms of the original compact or its previous amendments but merely extends the deadline, allowing more time for further negotiations.

The extension was facilitated under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which permits such modifications without federal approval as long as the compact's core terms remain unchanged.