OLYMPIA – Washington state gambling regulators and 27 tribes Thursday announced agreement on new compacts that will allow thousands more slot-style machines in reservation casinos.
Full approval by the state and federal government is expected in the next four to six months.
The new master agreement with the tribes, dubbed X2, would expand the number of electronic slot machines from 18,225 to a maximum of 27,300. It would cap the number of casinos but would give tribes authority to stay open around the clock and to offer higher stakes games.
Tribes currently are allowed to operate 675 gambling machines, although the Muckleshoot, Tulalip and Puyallup tribes are allowed to lease or purchase as many as 3,000 terminals. The new compact would allow most tribes to have as many as 975 machines. The other three tribes could expand to 3,500 and, after three years, to 4,000.
The deal, which largely reflects the groundwork done in a sweeping new compact with the Spokane Tribe of Indians, was announced in Olympia by the state Gambling Commission.
All 27 tribes have concurred and Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to sign the deal her office helped negotiate. The Legislature, which has four voting members on the nine-member commission, plans a joint House-Senate hearing on March 8.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
