More Slots for California - Thanks to Schwarzenegger

Thanks to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, four of California’s richest Indian tribes are about to become even richer. The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians will each be able to double or triple the size of their casino operations in exchange for paying the state hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes.

INDIANS VS. UNIONS

This also puts an end to a lengthy battle between the Indian tribes and the labor unions. The unions claimed that the casino expansion bills which Schwarzenegger signed Tuesday would give casinos a unique amount of leverage in keeping workers from organizing. Seeming to have lost the battle, the unions have now threatened to gather signatures for a ballot measure to block the expansion. However, a solid effort has yet to materialize.

MORE SLOT MACHINES

The tribes will be allowed to install nearly 17,000 new slot machines and other table games. The Yurok tribe, the largest but also one of the poorest, will also be allowed to install up to 99 slot machines on their reservation near Klamath, California.

58,120 slot machines are already in operation throughout the state, and last year they raked in an estimated $7.7 billion in revenue. That’s a pretty incredible amount when you figure that Nevada’s total income in 2006 was $12.6 billion.

While it may not get the press of Las Vegas or Atlantic City, there’s obviously a lot of good gambling to be done in the Golden State.

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More Slots for California - Thanks to Schwarzenegger