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While the state of California is locked up in a legal battle with bingo parlors and charitable organizations over an electronic bingo terminal that closely resembles slot machines, tribal casino operators are becoming increasingly frustrated. 

There is no doubt in the mind of tribal casino operators that the terminals are more like slot machines than anything else and that they are stealing millions of dollars in revenue that could potentially be spent at their slot machines.  According to the tribes the presence of these machines in bingo parlors is in direct violation of their exclusive rights to offer casino-style gambling in the state of California.

“You look at the games, and you see they are slot machines under state law,” said George Forman, an attorney representing several tribal casinos in California.

“Over time, I think it's more likely than not that somebody is going to get upset.”

In 2008, Senate Bill 1369 was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.  The bill officially banned the electronic bingo terminals.  However, a court injunction has delayed the enforcement of the law.

One of the wealthiest tribal casino operators in the country, United Auburn Indian Community attached a letter to their casino revenue sharing check to the state of California issuing a warning to Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown.

The letter warned that if the remaining bingo machines were not shut down the tribe would stop sending future payments. 

“The letter in essence said that they were reluctant to pay their quarterly payments while something that violates the very tenet of the compact they signed with the state was in operation – illegal slot machines,” said tribal spokesman Doug Elmets.

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