Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment announced last week that Justin Ruggieri will represent the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise as its new general counsel. Ruggieri assumes the position at an important moment as the enterprise introduces new gaming opportunities at its properties near Tucson, Sahuarita, Glendale, and Why (Ajo), Arizona.
Ruggieri has served as assistant general counsel to the enterprise since 2008. His responsibilities have included regulatory compliance, negotiating and drafting commercial contracts, and advising senior management with respect to employment law and general operational matters. Most recently, he assisted the Tohono O’odham Nation during the negotiation of its 2021 amended gaming compact.
A 2000 graduate of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, he previously served as assistant attorney general for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, where he advised the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council on governmental matters as well as gaming matters.
He has taught Indian gaming law at the Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, where he received the Professor of Practice of the Year award in 2017. He has also presented on a wide array of legal matters, including Indian law and gaming law, over the past 15 years to fellow attorneys and industry professionals.
Mike Bean, CEO of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said “Justin is ideally suited for General Counsel as we move forward with new opportunities for the Enterprise. He has been playing a key role in our legal efforts for many years and is a welcome addition to the team that will lead our organization into the future.”
