In a significant development, the Maine House voted in favor of a bill that would enable Native American tribes in the state to benefit from federal laws, overriding a previous land claims settlement. However, the proposed legislation specifically prohibits the application of certain federal laws related to casinos, making it necessary to obtain state approval for their establishment. The bill will now move to the Senate for further consideration.

Maine Bill Seeks to Extend Federal Benefits to Wabanaki Tribes

The tribes in Maine have long been governed by the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980, which subjected them to state law and limited their access to federal legislation. This contrasted with the autonomy enjoyed by the other 570 federally recognized tribes across the country.

The proposed bill seeks to address this disparity by allowing most federal laws that benefit other tribes to extend to the Wabanaki tribes in Maine, reported New England Cable News. However, it is important to note that the bill falls short of granting full sovereignty to the tribes.

The legislation specifically excludes certain federal laws pertaining to casinos, requiring state permission for their establishment. This provision aims to strike a balance between tribal interests and state concerns. Despite the exclusion, tribal leaders and supporters of the bill have expressed optimism about its potential benefits.

Passamaquoddy tribal representative, Rep. Aaron Dana, shared a troubling incident to illustrate the urgent need for change. He highlighted how his tribe was unable to seek aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when a cold snap caused pipes to freeze at a health clinic. Dana stated that he believed the bill could be considered the single most important in recent history due to the immediate and critical impact it could have on the Wabanaki tribes.

Critics Voice Concerns as Maine Tribal Bill Raises Potential for Conflicts and Lawsuits

However, critics of the bill have raised concerns about potential conflicts and lawsuits that could arise from its implementation. Governor Janet Mills’ chief legal counsel urged the tribes to collaborate with the administration to find mutually agreeable solutions rather than pursuing a bill that may create new complications.

The bill’s passage in the Maine House reflects a significant step forward in rectifying the inequities faced by Native American tribes in the state. While it falls short of full sovereignty, it represents progress toward achieving greater parity with other federally recognized tribes.

The Senate will now deliberate on the bill, and its fate will be closely watched by tribal communities and supporters throughout Maine. The Native American tribe bill comes at a time when the state of Maine is preparing to launch its sports betting market. The head of the state’s gambling regulator, Milton Champion, suggested that sports betting could go live in time for Thanksgiving, pending the review and approval of the revised rules.

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The Kansspelautoriteit, a body that regulates gambling in the Netherlands, has fined Merkur Casino Almere over an exclusion-related breach. According to the authority, the casino operator allowed a self-excluded person to play over a two-week period.

The person in question was registered in the Netherlands’ self-exclusion register (CRUKS) and was supposed to be barred from playing with a casino operator. Yet, the player managed to successfully gain access to Merkur Casino in Almere.

The Kansspelautoriteit noted that Merkur Casino allowed the player to enter its property a total of nine times in the period from February 17, 2022, to March 2, 2022. This was a clear violation of the local gambling rules and a breach of Merkur’s social responsibility obligations.

The Player Was Registered in the CRUKS

CRUKS is an official register containing all people who have excluded themselves from playing high-risk gambling. All companies that hold a license in the Netherlands are required to diligently check that a player’s name is not registered in the CRUKS.

This measure, which Merkur failed to properly follow, seeks to protect gamblers who consider themselves prone to addiction from harm. However, a technical error prevented Merkur from properly checking whether the person in question was excluded or not.

According to the KSA, Merkur received an error message when trying to check the person’s name in the CRUKS. If the casino company had decided to follow protocol, it should have barred the player from entering until it was able to confirm whether their name appears in the register.

However, Merkur Casino Almere decided to take a risk and instead allowed the gambler to enter the property and play.

As a result of these violations, the KSA handed a fine of €45,000 (almost $50,000) to Merkur.

KSA Recently Fined Betent

Speaking of fines, the KSA recently slapped Betent with a $438,000 fine over illegal advertisements. The casino operator, the regulator reported, disregarded the local advertising standards and advertised to young adults.

Advertising to vulnerable groups is considered to be a serious violation of the local gambling rules. While Betent may not have intently targeted young adults, its messages ended up reaching such an audience.

While Dutch young adults are not prohibited from playing, local operators are prohibited from targeting them with ads. This is because the market believes that young people are still developing and therefore extra susceptible to gambling addiction.

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