Although Donald Trump’s views on casinos are well known, his attitudes towards tribal gaming are less so. Tribes are adopting a watch and wait stance as the new administration prepares to take over on January 20.
Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, owners of the Pechanga Resort and Casino, one of the largest in California, told the Sun: “We are at the very beginning of the Trump presidency and look forward to engaging the incoming administration about tribal issues in general.”
Tribal Chairman Robert Martin of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, which owns Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, sounds nostalgic about the Obama administration—even though it’s not gone yet. He does think that having a former casino owner in the White House is a positive thing.
Martin commented, “We are hopeful that will continue with the incoming administration as we work to improve education, economic development, infrastructure and job creation opportunities across all of Indian Country.”
On the other hand, Trump’s main experience with Indian gaming was in competing against them when he owned casinos in Atlantic City. He went onto the radio waves in interviews where he tried to link drug use and crime to tribal gaming.
The exception to that was his short-lived partnership with the Twentynine Palms Band of Mission Indians to re-brand the Spotlight 29 casino in Coachella, California as Trump 29, dubbed as “When the Donald meets the desert.” Within a few years the tribe purchased his interest for $6 million.
“We are hopeful that will continue with the incoming administration as we work to improve education, economic development, infrastructure, and job creation opportunities across all of Indian Country,” he told the Sun.
At the same time the American Gaming Association has allegedly sent a communication to the president-elect asking him to consider throwing his weight behind ending a 25-year ban on sports betting.
The cabinet official who comes in contact with tribes the most often is the Secretary of the Interior. Trump has named Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, a former Navy SEAL to the post. In his statement he included this: “Most important, our sovereign Indian Nations and territories must have the respect and freedom they deserve.”
