Starting May 2, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe said it will open a six-table poker room and offer Texas Hold ’Em and Omaha poker at its Worley, Idaho casino. Tribal Legislative Director Helo Hancock, said the tribe has wanted to offer poker for several years to compete with Indian casinos in Washington that offer card games and commercial card rooms that are legal in Washington.
Idaho has a constitutional ban on poker games, but Hancock said that does not apply to the tribe’s casino. He said after seeking several legal opinions on the matter, tribal and casino executives believe poker games are exempt from state regulation under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, since they are card games of skill in which players compete against each other for stakes, and no house bank involved.
Idaho Lottery Commission Director Jeff Anderson said IGRA does exempt from state regulation certain non-house banked card games on tribal lands, but only when state law does not prohibit the games. “Poker is specifically prohibited in Idaho,” Anderson said. He recently asked the National Indian Gaming Commission for its opinion.
IGRA Acting General Counsel Eric Shepard said, “We’re aware of the tribe’s intention to offer poker, and we’re working through our own analysis of the matter right now.”
Laura Stensgar, the casino’s executive marketing director, said offering poker will allow the casino to attract men age 25-55, a younger demographic than clients who play slots. “It’s a way to broaden the experience. The husband plays poker, the wife plays the slot machines or goes to the spa. They stay to have dinner together.”
The new poker room will provide 16 jobs. The casino employs 900-1,200 people depending on the season. The property also offers a hotel and golf course.
