Fraters Libertas

Unbridled Expansion of 'Gaming' at an Indian Casino

Friend of Fraters Gary Larson checks in from the North woods with an editorial in today's Star Tribune on the attempt by Mystic Lake Casino to add poker based card games to their gambling mix:

When local tribes gave up "other types of [Class III] gaming" in the original compact to run exclusively their slots and blackjack, they obviously took a pass on poker-style card games. Now the deal's off?

Yet the same tribes screamed "expansion of gambling" when Canterbury sought slots in '97 (for a Twins stadium) and in '03 (for a racino). Nary a word now about expansion. All's quiet when tribes add poker-style games to their mix.

Read the whole thing to find out what it's like to compete against a monopoly (that pays no taxes) with deep pockets that's not afraid to spend money to influence politics.