The Bureau of Indian Affairs recently approved an amended Class III gaming compact between the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe and the state of South Dakota, allowing the tribe to offer up to 1,000 slot machines at its Dakota Sioux Casino in Watertown. Previously, slots were capped at 750.
In addition, the updated compact changes the tribe’s payments to Codington and Roberts County to cover services provided to the casino. The tribe now will pay the two counties $325,000 for 1,000 slots instead of $170,000 for 750 machines.
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs John Tahsuda explained, “The amendment increases the number of slot machines the tribe may operate, decreases certain regulatory costs for emergency services agreements and eliminates tribal contributions paid from parimutuel gaming to schools.”
Most Class III gaming compacts in South Dakota allow tribes to operate up to 250 slot machines, but some tribes have negotiated compact amendments allowing them to increase machines.
