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Indian Lands Opinions

Indian tribes may only game on Indian lands that are eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Reguatory Act. Such lands must meet the definition of “Indian lands” at 25 U.S.C. § 2703, which requires that the land be within the limits of a tribe’s reservation, be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the tribe or its member(s), or that the land be subject to restrictions against alienation by the United States for the benefit of the tribe or its member(s). Additionally, the tribe must have jurisdiction and exercise governmental powers over the gaming site.

The IGRA, 25 U.S.C. § 2719, contains a general prohibition against gaming on lands acquired into trust after October 17, 1988 (the date the IGRA was enacted into law). Tribes may game on such after-acquired trust land if the land meets one of the exceptions laid out in § 2719. Indian lands opinions are issued by either the Commission or the Department of the Interior, Division of Indian Affairs, Office of the Solicitor. Below are the Indian lands advisory opinions issued by the NIGC and the Department of the Interior on whether a tribe may game on certain lands.

Tribe Parcel Legal Theory Theory Accepted Date
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Okmulgee County, OK Within Boundaries of Reservation / Indian Lands Oklahoma Yes 05/14/2019
Muscogee (Creek) Nation River Spirit Triangle, Tulsa County, OK Within Boundaries of the Reservation Yes 05/14/2019
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa Restored Lands Yes 04/30/2019
Big Lagoon Humboldt County, CA Indian Lands Yes 10/04/2018
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa Restored Lands Yes 11/13/2017
Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians Pine Crest Parcel, Redwood Valley, Mendocino County, CA Contiguous to Reservation Yes 10/30/2017
Kialegee Tribal Town Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Jurisdiction No 06/21/2017
Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma Noble County, Oklahoma Settlement of Land Claim Yes 01/25/2017
Pinoleville Pomo Nation Kandy Parcel, Mendocino County, CA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 09/28/2015
Quapaw Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma Quapaw Strip Parcel, Cherokee County, KS Last Recognized Reservation Yes 11/21/2014
Mechoopda Indian Tribe of the Chico Rancheria Chico Parcels, Butte County, CA Restored Lands Yes 01/24/2014
Table Mountain Rancheria 60 acre parcels, Fresno county, CA Contiguous to reservation Yes 01/10/2014
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Cranberry Lands, Face of the Cliff and Herring Creek Parcels, Dukes County, MA Settlement of a Land Claim Yes 10/25/2013
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Cranberry Lands, Face of the Cliff and Herring Creek Parcels, Dukes County, MA Settlement of a Land Claim Yes 08/23/2013
Kialegee Tribal Town Neal Freeman parcel Jurisdiction No 07/18/2013
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma Ottawa County, Oklahoma Former Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 08/09/2012
Kialegee Tribal Town Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Jurisdiction No 06/08/2012
Kialegee Tribal Town Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Jurisdiction No 05/25/2012
Karuk Tribe of California Yreka Parcel, Siskiyou County, CA Restored lands Yes 04/09/2012
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Tahleqhah, Oklahoma site Within Reservation Boundaries No 07/18/2011
Redding Rancheria Strawberry Fields and Adjacent 80 Acres, Shasta County, CA Restored Lands No 12/22/2010
Bay Mills Indian Community Vanderbilt Site, Otsego, MI Michigan Indian Lands Claims Settlement No 12/21/2010
Bay Mills Indian Community Vanderbilt Site, Otsego, MI Indian Lands No 12/21/2010
Shawnee Tribe of OK Oklahoma City Parcels, Oklahoma County, OK Restored Lands No 11/10/2010
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Whitecloud Allotment, Lincoln County, OK Indian Lands Oklahoma Yes 01/07/2010
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma Akela Flats, Luna County, NM Restored Lands No 04/30/2009
Seneca Nation of Indians Buffalo parcels, Erie County, NY After Aquired Land Yes 01/20/2009
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Kellyville Parcel, Creek City, OK Indian Lands Oklahoma Yes 01/06/2009
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Twin Hills Parcel, Okmulgee County, OK Indian lands Oklahoma Yes 01/06/2009
Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians Cloverdale Parcels, Sonoma City CA Restored Lands Yes 12/12/2008
Lower Lake Rancheria Koi Nation Purvis Tract, Lake County, CA Restored Lands No 10/07/2008
Pueblo of Nambe Tract 1 – Cuyamungue Grant, Santa Fe County, NM Contiguous to Reservation Yes 09/19/2008
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Halberg Addition, Clallam County, WA Contiguous Lands Yes 07/11/2008
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma Akela Flats, Luna County, NM Last Recognized Reservation No 05/19/2008
Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tallapoosa Site, Montgomery County, Ala Restored Lands Yes 05/19/2008
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma Akela Flats, Luna County, NM Restored Lands No 05/19/2008
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Holdenville Site, Hughes County, OK Jurisdiction Yes 04/23/2008
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa Restored Lands Yes 12/31/2007
Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Highway 20 Site, Lake County, CA Restored Lands Yes 11/21/2007
Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California Feather Falls Site, Butte County, CA Restored Lands Yes 10/25/2007
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa Restored Lands No 10/22/2007
Elk Valley Rancheria Martin’s Ranch, Del Norte County, CA Restored Lands Yes 07/13/2007
Seneca Nation of Indians Buffalo parcels, Erie County, NY Settlement of a Land Claim Yes 07/02/2007
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma Original Comanche allotment in Former Kiowa Comanche, Apache Reservation Settlement Agreement Yes 03/08/2007
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians St. Ignace Parcel, Mackinac County, MI Contiguous to Reservation No 12/08/2006
Big Sandy Rancheria McCabe Allotment, Fresno County, CA Indian Lands Yes 09/06/2006
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians St. Ignace Parcel, Mackinac County, MI Restored Lands No 09/01/2006
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians St. Ignace Parcel, Mackinac County, MI Restored Lands No 07/31/2006
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians St. Ignace Parcel, Mackinac County, MI Contiguous to Reservation No 02/14/2006
Cowlitz Tribe Clark County, WA Restored Lands Yes 11/23/2005
Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma Cotton County, OK Indian Lands Oklahoma Yes 11/15/2005
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Crosby Lodge, Washoe County, NV Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 09/27/2005
Osage Nation North Tulsa, Bartlesville, Osage County, OK Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 07/28/2005
Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians Amador County, CA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 06/30/2005
White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians White Earth, MN Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 03/14/2005
Puyallup Tribe Fife Property, Pierce County, WA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 11/12/2004
Puyallup Tribe Fife Property, Pierce County, WA Jurisdiction Yes 11/12/2004
Karuk Tribe of California Yreka Parcel, Siskiyou County, CA Restored Lands No 10/12/2004
Wyandotte Nation Shriner Tract, Wyandotte County, KS Settlement of a Land Claim No 09/10/2004
Wyandotte Nation Shriner Tract, Wyandotte County, KS Last Recognized Reservation No 09/10/2004
Wyandotte Nation Shriner Tract, Wyandotte County, KS Restored Lands No 09/10/2004
Wyandotte Nation Shriner Tract, Wyandotte County, KS Settlement of a Land Claim No 07/19/2004
Wyandotte Nation Shriner Tract, Wyandotte County, KS Last Recognized Reservation No 07/19/2004
Wyandotte Nation Cherokee County, Oklahoma Indian Lands Oklahoma No 07/19/2004
Shingle Springs Rancheria Meldrum Parcel, El Dorado County, CA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 11/25/2003
Shingle Springs Rancheria Meldrum Parcel, El Dorado County, CA Indian Lands Yes 11/25/2003
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan Wayland Township Parcels, Allegan County, MI Initial Reservation of Acknowledged Tribe Yes 06/25/2003
Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo River Rock Casino Site, Sonoma County, CA Within Reservaton Boundaries Yes 04/09/2003
Mechoopda Indian Tribe of the Chico Rancheria Chico Parcels, Butte County, CA Restored Lands Yes 03/14/2003
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Crofton, Knox County, NE Restored Lands Yes 11/22/2002
Seneca Nation of Indians Buffalo parcels, Erie County, NY Settlement of a Land Claim Yes 11/12/2002
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Maria Christiana Reserve, KS Jurisdiction No 10/31/2002
Bear River Band Rohnerville Rancheria Humboldt County, CA Restored Lands Yes 08/05/2002
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Riverboat gaming; undesignated water Jurisdiction No 04/01/2002
United Auburn Indian Community Resultant Parcel B, Placer County, CA Restored Lands Yes 01/03/2002
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Hatch Tract, Lane City, OR Restored lands Yes 12/05/2001
Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians Madera, CA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 12/03/2001
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Turtle Creek Site, Grand Traverse County, MI Restored Lands Yes 08/31/2001
Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma Biscuit Hill Site, Caddo County, OK Indian Lands Oklahoma No 07/30/2001
Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma Biscuit Hill Site, Caddo County, OK Contiguous to other Trust or Restricted Lands No 07/30/2001
Nottawaseppi Huron Potawatomi Band Sackrider Property, Calhoun County, MI Initial Reservation Yes 12/13/2000
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Keetoowah Cherokee Casino Site Jurisdiction No 09/29/2000
Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians Unspecified land Restored Lands Yes 04/18/2000
Organized Village of Kake Harris Deed Parcel, Petersburg, AK Indian Lands Yes 04/18/2000
Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians Madera, CA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 03/02/2000
Elk Valley Rancheria Betty Green Trust Land, Del Norte County, CA Indian Lands / Restored Lands Yes 03/02/2000
United Auburn Indian Community Resultant Parcel B, Placer County, CA Restored Lands Yes 01/18/2000
Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma Unknown Within Reservation Boundaries No 12/22/1999
Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma Unknown Jurisdiction No 12/22/1999
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Hatch Tract, Lane City, OR Restored Lands No 10/21/1999
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Hatch Tract, Lane City, OR Contiguous to Reservation No 10/21/1999
Alturas Rancheria Modoc County, CA Pre-IGRA Trust Acquisiton Yes 09/09/1999
Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians Victories Tract, Emmet County, MI Restored Lands Yes 08/05/1999
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Maria Christiana Reserve, KS Governmental Power Yes 11/10/1998
Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians Sho-Ka-Wah Casino Site, Mendocino County, CA Within Reservation Boundaries Yes 09/02/1998
Organized Village of Kake Harris Deed Parcel, Petersburg, AK Indian lands Yes 07/02/1998
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Manistee Orchard, Manistee County, MI Restored Lands Yes 03/16/1998
Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians Mackinaw City Tract, Emmet County, MI Restored Lands Yes 11/12/1997
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians Unspecified Parcels, Michigan and Indiana Restored Lands Yes 09/19/1997
Native Village of Barrow - Appeal to Commission Unspecified parcel Governmental Power No 08/12/1997