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Game Classification Opinions

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) created three classes of gaming, set forth at 25 U.S.C.  § 2703.  If the requirements of IGRA and the National Indian Gaming Commission’s regulations are met, Class II gaming may be conducted by a tribe if it is located within a state that permits such gaming for any purpose by any person, organization or entity and such gaming is not otherwise specifically prohibited on Indian lands by Federal law.  25 U.S.C. § 2710(b)(1)(A). In addition to meeting IGRA and NIGC requirements, tribes offering Class III gaming must have a valid Tribal-state compact approved by the Secretary of the Interior.  Below are the advisory opinions issued by the NIGC’s Office of General Counsel on whether certain games fall within the definition of Class II or Class III gaming.

Helpful Hints for Submitting a Request for an Opinion Letter to the Office of General Counsel

Title Class II/III Bingo Card Games Card Games State Pull Tabs Internet Gaming Other Date
8 Draw Kingo III 05/11/2004
Action Jack II 09/04/1996
Apache 21 III AZ 02/02/1995
Arizona Poker II AZ 03/23/1998
Asian Bingo II AZ 07/14/1998
Bingo Nation II 06/27/2014
Blackjack Advisory Opinion Both 01/15/2003
Blackjack Tournament III 06/10/2003
Break the Bank III 05/31/2001
Cadillac Jack Triple Threat Bingo II 12/23/2004
Cashpot Instant Scratch-Off Game II 09/14/1992
Casino Gateway Network II 09/24/2009
Challenger 9 III 06/18/1999
Cherokee Blackjack Tournament III OK 04/29/2003
Cheyenne & Arapaho Card Tournament II OK 07/09/1999
Citizen Potawatomi BJ Tournament II OK 06/10/2003
Classic II Pull-Tab System III 06/04/2004
Classification of Banking Card Games in California II 06/06/1995
CloudStreet Hold’em Poker III 05/13/2020
Coeur d’Alene National Indian Lottery III 06/22/1999
Comanche BJ Tournament III OK 05/07/2003
Crazy Reels III 04/07/1999
Cyberdyne Video III 10/10/1997
Desert Rose Bingo Opinion III 04/15/2016
Dice Games III 03/23/1995
Digideal Digital Card System II 12/17/2009
Double Hand High-Low II AZ 09/09/1999
Dream Card II AZ 07/14/1998
Eastern Shawnee BJ Tournament III OK 06/10/2003
Electronic Game Card II 06/24/2005
Evergreen Bingo III 11/02/1999
Fast Track Bingo II 09/03/2009
Gamblit Poker LIVE II MI, IN 01/23/2018
Grab Bag Bingo II 06/13/2023
Hand Rolle III 08/16/2001
Instant Scratch Off Tickets II 05/23/1994
Interblock Gaming Machines III 06/06/2003
Interblock Roulette and Dice Games III 05/05/2005
Jack Attack II 03/28/1996
Jack Attack II 03/28/1996
Jack Attack (In Montana) III 03/12/2009
Jackpot Blitz Texas Hold Em’ Electronic Poker II 10/16/2018
K 21 Blackjack III TX 11/30/2004
Keno III 05/18/2005
KGM/Alfastreet Bingo-R Game Opinion III 02/04/2020
Kickapoo BJ Tournament II OK 04/23/2003
King Dobber Bingo III 03/11/1998
Lac Vieux Desert Internet Bingo III 10/26/2000
Lima III 08/21/2002
Little Traverse Bay Band Card Games III MI 02/17/1999
Lotrec I and II III 01/21/2004
Lucky Lotto III 04/22/2005
Lucky Tab II II 03/21/2001
Magical Irish Instant Bingo Dispenser and Verifier System III 02/29/2000
Maverick 21 II 03/28/1996
Mega Bingo II 07/26/1995
Megamania System II 03/28/1997
Megamania System II 09/23/1997
Megamania System II 07/10/1996
Megananza Series III 04/15/2002
Mystery Bingo III 05/07/2004
Mystery Bingo III 05/26/2004
Mystery Bingo II 09/26/2003
Mystery Bingo III 04/02/2004
National Indian Bingo II 11/14/2000
National Indian Bingo III 08/09/1999
National Indian Lottery III 06/22/1999
NetPoker II 07/03/2013
Non-banked Poker II CT 05/29/2013
NOVA Bingo II 04/04/2005
NOVA Bingo System 4.2.5.9 II 08/25/2005
NOVA Bingo System 4.2.7.50 II 10/18/2005
NOVA Bingo System 4.3.3.30 II 08/18/2006
O-Craps III 04/29/2020
Oasis Electronic Pull-Tab Network III 02/10/1994
Oasis Electronic Pull-Tab Network III 05/25/1993
Ortiz Gaming III 11/25/2014
Pachinko Machines III 05/05/2005
Pai Gow, Pai Gow Poker, Pan 9 (Non-Banked) II CA 06/02/1995
Pari-Mutuel Draw Poker II 04/07/2020
Phone Card Sweepstakes Machines III 10/17/2003
Play Away Pull-Tab II 08/24/2006
Play Pull-Tab III 03/30/1999
Play Pull-Tab 09/26/2000
Play Pull-Tab III 11/02/1999
Play Pull-Tab White Earth Tribe II 11/14/1994
Player Pooled Blackjack III NY 04/04/2003
Player Pooled Blackjack at Northern Winz Casino III MT 08/10/2007
Poker Club II NY 06/17/1999
Poker Room II WI 02/26/2009
POKO III 08/11/1999
Pot of Gold III 07/01/1999
Promo Extra Match Bonus Series System III 03/16/1999
Quarter Draw Football Both 09/03/2009
Quick Shot Bingo III 09/19/2002
Raffles III 09/10/1999
Reel Time Bingo II 09/23/2003
Reel Time Bingo Version 2.0 II 01/07/2004
Reel Touch Bingo 1.4a II 07/15/2005
Reels of Skill III 01/09/1998
Rocket Ante Up II 08/01/1997
Rocket Bingo Classics II 07/22/1997
Rocket FastPlay II 10/18/2004
Seminole Opinion 02/01/2013
Seven Suns Poker III 08/11/1999
Shake-a-day Game III 05/24/2007
Shoalwater Bay Blackjack Games III WA 07/17/1998
Tab Force Instant Pull-Tab Validation System II 06/08/1998
Tele Bingo III 07/21/1999
Tournament Blackjack II OK 04/23/2003
Trips or Better Poker II FL,WA,ID 12/21/2004
U-PIK-EM Bingo III 06/09/2000
Ultimate Texas Hold’Em Poker III 04/07/2021
Ultimate Winner’s Blackjack Tournament II 08/14/2003
Unreal Slots III 08/11/1999
Washington State Lottery III WA 10/16/2017
WhoopAss Poker (poker version) II 08/06/2012
WhoopAss Poker (table version) III 08/06/2012
Wild Ball Bingo II 03/22/2001
Wild Ball Bingo II 11/12/1996
Wildfire Pull-Tab Dispenser System III 06/07/1994
WIN Sports Betting III 03/13/2001