Indian Gaming Regulatory Act facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act

Long title	An Act to regulate gaming on Indian lands.
Acronyms (colloquial)	IGRA
Enacted by	the 100th United States Congress
Effective	October 17, 1988
Citations
Public law	100-497
Statutes at Large	102 Stat. 2467
Codification
Titles amended	25 U.S.C.: Indians
U.S.C. sections created	25 U.S.C. ch. 29 § 2701 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the Senate as S. 555 by Daniel Inouye (D–HI) on February 19, 1987 Committee consideration by Senate Indian Affairs (Permanent Select) Passed the Senate on September 15, 1988 (passed voice vote) Passed the House on September 27, 1988 (323-84) Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on October 17, 1988

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (Pub.L. 100-497, 25 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq.) is a 1988 United States federal law that establishes the jurisdictional framework that governs Indian gaming. There was no federal gaming structure before this act. The stated purposes of the act include providing a legislative basis for the operation/regulation of Indian gaming, protecting gaming as a means of generating revenue for the tribes, encouraging economic development of these tribes, and protecting the enterprises from negative influences (such as organized crime). The law established the National Indian Gaming Commission and gave it a regulatory mandate. The law also delegated new authority to the U.S. Department of the Interior and created new federal offenses, giving the U.S. Department of Justice authority to prosecute them.

The law has been the source of extensive controversy and litigation. One of the key questions is whether the National Indian Gaming Commission and Department of Interior can be effective in regulating tribal economic decisions related to Indian gaming. Many of the controversies have produced litigation, some of it reaching U.S. Supreme Court.