Thread: Federal court clears obstacles to new CA. slots UPDATED

Federal court clears obstacles to new slots

By Onell R. Soto
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. October 2, 2009

A federal appeals court yesterday paved the way for thousands of new slot machines to roll out across California over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's objections.

New slot licenses, up to 10,549 statewide, will be distributed by the California Gambling Control Commission on Monday, as ordered by a court in August.

Two tribes in North County stand to get hundreds more slots as a result.

The governor had sought to prevent the issuing of the licenses until his appeal of the August ruling is heard. But yesterday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that request.

The court said it would hear the appeal in February, much sooner than normal.

“We still think we should win that appeal,â€

California approves 3,000 new slot machine licenses

The Associated Press
5:45 p.m. October 5, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The state's gambling control commission has approved licenses for more than 3,000 new slot machines for 11 Indian tribes.

The vote Monday at a commission meeting in Sacramento follows a federal court ruling that required the state to issue thousands of new slot machine licenses. Tribes had successfully argued they were entitled to the machines under compacts reached in 1999 with then Gov. Gray Davis.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had called for new compacts that would have had the tribes turn over more of their profits to the state in exchange for additional licenses.

The Big Sandy Band Rancheria received about half of the new licenses. The Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians and San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians were among the other recipients.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... dex=177787

Tribes will have to pay $1,250 for each slot license they get.