The Washington State Gambling Commission recently voted to approve the Cowlitz Tribe of Washington’s Class III gaming compact. The next step requires Governor Jay Inslee to sign it and send it to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for review.
Following approval by the BIA, the tribe plans to lease its gaming machines to other tribes. Chairman Bill Iyall said he hopes to start collecting revenue from the machines by the end of the year.
The tribe may not operate its gaming machines while its federal land-into-trust application for the Cowlitz Casino Resort still is being litigated.
