• Skip to main content
  • Skip to site footer
NIGC Logo

National Indian Gaming Commission

MENUMENU
  • HOME
  • Commission
        • About Us
          • History
          • Agency Strategic Goals
          • Contact Us
          • Organizational Structure
          • Strategic Plan
          • Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey
          • Performance Dashboard
        • Commission Actions
          • Bulletins
          • Commission Final Decisions
          • Dear Tribal Letters
          • Enforcement Actions
          • NEPA Decision of Records
            • Categorical Exclusion Administrative
        • Commissioners
          • Speeches
          • Tribal Consultations
        • Past Commissioners
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Human Trafficking Resources
        • Office of Self-Regulation
        • Reports and Publications
  • Office of Chief of Staff
        • Compliance
          • Alternate Standards
          • Audit
          • Bulletins
          • Checklists and Worksheets
          • Regional Offices
        • Finance
          • Annual Commission Budgets
          • Annual Fees
          • Fingerprint Fees
          • Gross Gaming Revenue Reports
          • Management Contracts
        • Public Affairs
          • Biographies
          • Community Impact
          • Featured Articles
          • Legislative Affairs
          • Media Center
            • Seals and Graphics
            • Press Conferences & Transcripts
          • News Release
        • Technology
          • CJIS Resource Materials
          • Fingerprint Process
          • IT Vulnerability Assessment
          • Kiteworks Guide for External Users
          • Tech Alerts and Warnings
          • Tribal Access Portal
        • Training
          • Catalog of Courses
          • Environment, Public Health and Safety
          • Toolkits
          • Training Event Calendar
          • Video Library
  • Office of General Counsel
        • Compacts
        • Gaming Ordinances
        • Game Classification Opinions
        • Legal Opinions
          • Declination Letters
          • Indian Lands Opinions
          • Game Classification Opinions
        • NIGC Services Cheat Sheet
        • Laws and Regulations
          • Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
          • Commission Regulations
          • EPHS Interpretive Rule
          • DOI Gaming Regulations
          • Johnson Act
          • Gaming Criminal Laws and Penalties
          • National Environmental Policy Act
  • I want to…
    • Contact the nearest NIGC office
    • Submit electronic financial statements
    • View upcoming training & events
    • Find the Minimum Internal Control Standards
    • See agency decisions and actions
    • View NIGC’s Indian gaming regulations
    • Request a legal opinion
    • Report A Violation
MENUMENU
  • HOME
  • Commission
        • About Us
          • History
          • Agency Strategic Goals
          • Contact Us
          • Organizational Structure
          • Strategic Plan
          • Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey
          • Performance Dashboard
        • Commission Actions
          • Bulletins
          • Commission Final Decisions
          • Dear Tribal Letters
          • Enforcement Actions
          • NEPA Decision of Records
            • Categorical Exclusion Administrative
        • Commissioners
          • Speeches
          • Tribal Consultations
        • Past Commissioners
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Human Trafficking Resources
        • Office of Self-Regulation
        • Reports and Publications
  • Office of Chief of Staff
        • Compliance
          • Alternate Standards
          • Audit
          • Bulletins
          • Checklists and Worksheets
          • Regional Offices
        • Finance
          • Annual Commission Budgets
          • Annual Fees
          • Fingerprint Fees
          • Gross Gaming Revenue Reports
          • Management Contracts
        • Public Affairs
          • Biographies
          • Community Impact
          • Featured Articles
          • Legislative Affairs
          • Media Center
            • Seals and Graphics
            • Press Conferences & Transcripts
          • News Release
        • Technology
          • CJIS Resource Materials
          • Fingerprint Process
          • IT Vulnerability Assessment
          • Kiteworks Guide for External Users
          • Tech Alerts and Warnings
          • Tribal Access Portal
        • Training
          • Catalog of Courses
          • Environment, Public Health and Safety
          • Toolkits
          • Training Event Calendar
          • Video Library
  • Office of General Counsel
        • Compacts
        • Gaming Ordinances
        • Game Classification Opinions
        • Legal Opinions
          • Declination Letters
          • Indian Lands Opinions
          • Game Classification Opinions
        • NIGC Services Cheat Sheet
        • Laws and Regulations
          • Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
          • Commission Regulations
          • EPHS Interpretive Rule
          • DOI Gaming Regulations
          • Johnson Act
          • Gaming Criminal Laws and Penalties
          • National Environmental Policy Act
  • I want to…
    • Contact the nearest NIGC office
    • Submit electronic financial statements
    • View upcoming training & events
    • Find the Minimum Internal Control Standards
    • See agency decisions and actions
    • View NIGC’s Indian gaming regulations
    • Request a legal opinion
    • Report A Violation
Home › News › News Release › NIGC Guidance Addresses COVID-19 Decision Making, Agency Prepared to Maintain Federal Operations

NIGC Guidance Addresses COVID-19 Decision Making, Agency Prepared to Maintain Federal Operations

March 18, 2020Category: News Release

For Immediate Release                                                    
Media Contact: Mavis Harris
(202) 632-7003

NIGC Guidance Addresses COVID-19 Decision Making, Agency Prepared to Maintain Federal Operations  

WASHINGTON, DC, Wednesday, March 18, 2020 – The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) continues to issue guidance to inform tribal decision-making related to COVID-19 and continually reviews its internal operations so that the federal regulatory agency remains ready to activate its continuity of operations plans if necessary.

The NIGC guidance continues to support tribal communities’ efforts to protect the most vulnerable Americans through the enforcement of tribal governments’ environmental, public health and safety laws. In addition, the guidance calls on tribal lawmakers and Tribal Gaming Regulatory Authorities (TGRAs) to review emergency operation and preparedness plans for their tribally licensed Indian gaming facilities. This review requires tribes to stay informed about the local circumstances surrounding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and coordinate with local jurisdictions where appropriate.

Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), TGRAs must license every tribal gaming operation. Also, pursuant to NIGC regulations, whenever a TGRA licenses an Indian gaming facility, the TGRA must attest to the NIGC that it has identified and enforces public health and safety laws. This NIGC oversight helps to ensure that the gaming facility is operated in a way that protects public health and safety. The NIGC will continue to monitor Indian gaming operations through its regional and national presence to support tribes’ application and enforcement of environmental, public health and safety standards at Indian gaming operations.

“If a TGRA believes that it can no longer attest to its ability to ensure the public health and safety of employees and patrons or if application of tribal laws warrants, the TGRA must consider how to best take mitigation steps that will remedy the threat to public health and safety up to and including closure,” said Chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer.

Tribes’ attention to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance and their collaboration with local health authorities is important to tribes’ determinations of how tribal public health and safety standards can best protect a community’s most vulnerable members. The NIGC continues to monitor evolving circumstances throughout the country, is in communication with tribal governments, and is available to assist further in tribal decision-making.

“Tribal government leadership is the best first line of defense. The importance of the local level decisions that are guiding Indian gaming’s response to COVID-19 cannot be overstated,” said Simermeyer. “The collaborative approach by tribal leaders across Indian county with neighboring jurisdictions is informing local level decisions about reducing or modifying operations at Indian gaming facilities. The NIGC remains an active partner to assist with this collaboration and assessment.”

The NIGC is committed to maintaining agency operations. Measures to ensure continuity in NIGC services will keep NIGC personnel ready to perform the duties and responsibilities necessary to carry out the NIGC’s role in supporting the IGRA’s mission. Recent Agency steps taken include expanding telework rules, implementing guidance to allow only mission-critical travel, updating continuity of operations plan, assessing the need to adjust relevant policies and procedures, and modifying NIGC training and technical assistance compliance events. The Agency will continue to work with its colleagues across the federal government to communicate any additional adjustments.  

“It is a priority for the Agency to institute and anticipate policies and practices necessary to maintain NIGC’s ability to continue operations,” said Simermeyer. “Maintaining operational capacity ensures the NIGC will meet our responsibilities as a regulatory body in service to the American people.”References/For more information: 

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Center for Disease Control and Prevention Information

###

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act created the National Indian Gaming Commission to support tribal self-sufficiency and the integrity of Indian gaming. NIGC oversees the efficient regulation of 520 gaming establishments operated by 247 tribes across 29 states.

Previous Post:NIGC NewsNIGC’s Office of General Counsel’s core leadership team is now complete
Next Post:NIGC’s enhancements in the annual budget development processNIGC News
  • SUBSCRIBE

Enter your email address to subscribe to NIGC news and updates
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Choose a category for updates:
Loading

About Us

Contact Us

Employment Opportunities

Equal Employment Opportunity

No Fear Act

Privacy Act

Accessibility Statement

Freedom of Information Act

Report A Violation

Terms of Use

Web and Privacy Policy

Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

NIGC Logo in Black

National Indian Gaming Commission

Return to top

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 · All Rights Reserved by NIGC.gov