Florida Tribal Casino Finally Closes

In Florida, Miccosukee Resort & Gaming (l.) was the last casino to remain open despite warnings about the coronavirus. On March 23, it finally closed up shop.

Published March 30, 2020

Foxwoods Furloughs Interrupt Union Negotiations

Labor negotiations between Foxwoods Resort Casino and the union that represents its dealers fell through after the casino was forced to close by the coronavirus. Now the union is...

Published March 30, 2020

Wyoming Tribe Taps Casino Funds

The tribe that operates the Wind River Hotel and Casino in Wyoming was forced to tap into casino funds after the collapsing economy left it with a deficit. The...

Published March 30, 2020

Pechanga Anticipates Long Haul on Closure

The largest casino on the West Coast, Pechanga Resort Casino, is anticipating a long closure, certainly longer than the end of March.

Published March 30, 2020

Oklahoma Tribes Sue Insurers

The Chickasaw and Choctaw nations of Oklahoma are suing several insurance companies to clarify if their business interruption policies cover losses sustained by closing their casinos due to the...

Published March 30, 2020

N.Y. Town Thwarted in Bid to Close Indian Casino

Citing the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, a federal judge in New York has ruled that local law holds no sway over the Cayuga Nation’s slot parlor in Union...

Published March 30, 2020

Massachusetts Reservation ‘Disestablished’

An order from Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has withdrawn the previous decision by the department to take land into trust for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts. Tribal Chairman...

Published March 30, 2020

Tribes Reject Settlement Offer From Oklahoma Governor

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (l.) proposed a settlement in the ongoing dispute between the state and tribes about whether the gaming companies that expired at the end of 2019...

Published March 30, 2020

San Manuel Leads the Way

As the first tribal casino to voluntarily close due to the coronavirus pandemic, San Manuel assumes a familiar position in Indian Country: that of a leader. San Manuel CEO...

Published March 23, 2020

New Mexico Casino Feeds Hungry

New Mexico’s casinos have closed temporarily, at least until the end of March. Casinos of the Pueblo of Pojoaque have decided to open their pantries and feed the hungry...

Published March 23, 2020

Alabama Casinos Reconsider, Close

In Alabama, after a patron at Wind Creek Casino in Wetumpka tested positive for coronavirus, Wind Creek Casino officials said the casino property would close March 15 for 24...

Published March 23, 2020

Oneida, Seneca Casinos Close in N.Y.

The shutdowns of tribal casinos bring to 18 the number of gaming venues in the Empire State that have closed in response to the spread of the coronavirus. The...

Published March 23, 2020

Minnesota Casinos Voluntarily Close

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has ordered bars and restaurants statewide to close. Tribal casinos didn’t have to follow the order, but several did. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community closed...

Published March 23, 2020

Wisconsin Tribes Shutter Casinos

In response to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' (l.) order prohibiting gatherings of 50 or more people, several Wisconsin tribes elected to close their casinos for at least two weeks....

Published March 23, 2020

Oregon’s Tribal Casinos Close

All of Oregon’s tribal casinos, although not under state control, have bowed to social pressure and closed. “Stay home. Be safe. The beach will be waiting,” declared one of...

Published March 23, 2020

All Arizona Indian Casinos Close for Safety

Most Arizona Indian casinos have closed for safety reasons, including the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino, operated by the Tohono O'odham Nation, which just opened last month. The initial...

Published March 23, 2020

Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos Shutter For Two Weeks

The two Harrah's Cherokee casinos in North Carolina closed for at least two weeks on Wednesday, March 18. No reopening date has been set.

Published March 23, 2020

Tribe Finally Closes Florida Resorts

On March 20, after the first big wave of casino shutdowns across the country, Seminole casinos in Florida agreed to close as well. State Rep. Jackie Toledo had urged...

Published March 23, 2020

Oklahoma Casinos Close Through March 31

Tribal officials in Oklahoma changed their stance on closing casinos in response to the coronavirus in a 24-hour period. As late as March 16, tribal leaders said their casinos...

Published March 23, 2020

Connecticut Tribes Yield to Pressure to Close

At first stoutly maintaining their sovereign rights to keep their casinos (Mohegan Sun at left) open in the face of the outbreak, eventually Connecticut’s gaming tribes eventually yielded to...

Published March 23, 2020