Minnesota, like many other states in the country, is considering slot machines as a source of additional revenues that will help the state meet its budget demands.  It has been proposed that the state should allow Canterbury Park and Running Aces horse racing tracks to operate slot machines.  It comes as no surprise that local gaming tribes do not want the tracks offering slot machines and getting involved in the gaming business.  Certainly there is some element of the tribes protecting their corner of the gaming market but the tribe also has reasons for opposing slot machines at state race tracks that will affect the state as a whole.

Marge Anderson is a tribal leader of one of the states most successful gaming tribes, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.  The tribe owns two casinos in Minnesota, Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley.  According to Anderson, introducing slot machines at state race tracks will do more harm than good to the state economy.

Employing 2,900 people in their locations just out side of the Twin Cities, the Mille Lacs tribe is the biggest employers in the region.  The areas where the casinos are located are largely rural areas that already suffer high unemployment.  If the casinos suddenly have to compete with slot machines in other locations, they may be forced to make layoffs.  The Mille Lacs casinos employ far more non Indians than they do tribes man; about 92 percent of casino employees at the Mille Lacs casinos are non Indian.