Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here.
The Cayuga Nation is suing New York state for unlawful gaming activity taking place in person, and online, on reservation land.
In a news release yesterday, the Nation says that it filed a lawsuit after the state Gaming Commission failed to respond to demands “to stop unlawful gaming activity on the Nation’s Reservation land.”
The Cayuga’s say their exclusive rights are being undermined because the state has licensed numerous lottery and instant game terminals within reservation lands and that the nation should be receiving at least 60% of the net revenues from the state-licensed games.
Clint Halftown, a member of the Cayuga Nation’s governing council and the Nation’s federally recognized representative, explained the importance of bringing an end to the State’s unlawful
conduct stating: “[t]he Nation has robust gaming operations throughout the Reservation and uses the revenue to provide lifechanging government benefits to Cayuga citizens. NYS’s practice of
authorizing lotteries on Reservation land causes grave concern to the Nation’s rights and ability to provide for Nation citizens. The Cayuga Nation has a responsibility to enforce its federally approved gaming ordinance and stop all unlawful gaming within the Reservation, whether by the State or private individuals. The Cayuga Nation Council will not ignore the State’s gaming, especially the expansion to mobile gaming and the license to Jackpocket Inc.”
The Citizen reports the state gaming commission issued a license to Jackpocket Inc. to sell New York lottery tickets within reservation lands on mobile devices.
