The Maine legislature is discussing a bill that would allow tribal casinos in the state.
The Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs began holding hearings March 17 on the bill, which is supported by the state’s four federally-recognized tribes.
Those tribes are not able to take advantage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988 without an action of the legislature because they are under the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980. Under that act the tribes agreed to be subject to state laws except for internal tribal matters. Congress establishes what federal law applies to them.
Past efforts in the legislature to allow Indian gaming in the state have not succeeded. A referendum in 2015 also failed.
