Companies settle with state in dispute over tribal casinos

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - A company that supplied gambling devices to an Indian reservation in New Mexico while it was operating casinos in violation of federal law has agreed to a financial settlement with the state Gaming Control Board.

Another company that supplies cash-dispensing and counting machines to casinos also settled with the board as a result of its business with Pojoaque Pueblo, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported .

Bally Gaming and Glory Global Solutions brings to six the number of companies that have resolved disputes with the Gaming Control Board over the use of equipment by Pojoaque casinos while the casinos were operating without required agreements with the state.

The settlements by Bally and Glory resolved the only remaining administrative and enforcement actions by the Gaming Control Board against the Pojoaque suppliers, a board spokesman said.

The Gaming Control Board had threatened not to renew the companies’ licenses to do business in New Mexico with nontribal casinos, including those at horse racing tracks, because they had supplied equipment to Pojoaque casinos.

Like the other companies, Bally and Glory agreed in the settlements to make payments to the Gaming Control Board.

The amounts of the settlement payments weren’t disclosed.

In exchange for the payments, the Gaming Control Board agreed to process licenses for Bally and Glory.

Bally denied any legal wrongdoing as part of its settlement. The Glory settlement said it shouldn’t be construed as an admission of wrongdoing.

The companies didn’t respond to requests for comment on the settlements.

Tribes, not the state, license companies to do business with Indian casinos.

Pojoaque Pueblo operated its Buffalo Thunder and Cities of Gold casinos from June 2015 to about last October without a compact, largely because of a dispute over the state’s demand that the tribe share its revenue from slot machines, the Santa Fe New Mexican said.

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Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com