Before he left his position at the end of 2015 as assistant secretary of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, Kevin Washburn approved the Class III gaming compact between the state of New Mexico and the Nambe Pueblo.
The tribe became the 13th with a “deemed approved” agreement, ranking New Mexico number one among states with tribal gaming compacts.
Currently New Mexico has compacts with the Navajo Nation, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the Mescalero Apache Nation, Acoma Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh, Laguna Pueblo, Tesuque Pueblo, Santa Clara Pueblo, Zuni Pueblo and Nambe Pueblo.
The Sandia Pueblo, San Felipe Pueblo and Santa Ana Pueblo operate under prior agreements. The Pojoaque Pueblo’s compact expired in June but it has refused to agree to new revenue-sharing terms.
