Editing Native American gaming (section)

===Indian Gaming Regulatory Act===
{{Main|Indian Gaming Regulatory Act}}
In 1988, Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) (signed by President [[Ronald Reagan]]) which kept [[tribal sovereignty]] to create casino-like halls, but the states and Natives must be in [[Tribal-State compacts]] and the federal government has the power to regulate the gaming.{{sfn|Wilkinson|2005|p=335}} These compacts have been used by state officials to confiscate Native casino revenue which serves as a "special" tax on Native reservations. Essentially, the tribes still have "exclusive right" to all [[Indian Gaming Regulatory Act#Three classes|classes of gaming]] except when states do not accept that class or it clashes with federal law.{{sfn|Wilkinson|2005|p=336}}

Class III Native gaming became a large issue for the states and federal government, because of these court cases, as Congress debated over a bill for Native gaming called the [[Indian Gaming Regulatory Act]].

Currently, all attempts to challenge the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on constitutional grounds have failed.

After President Reagan signed the IGRA, Native gaming revenue skyrocketed from $100 million in 1988 to $16.7 billion in 2006.{{sfn|Wilkinson|2005|pp=335–336}} Following the IGRA, the [[National Indian Gaming Commission]] was created as a federal agency in 1988 to regulate high-stakes Native gaming.

The Commission consists of three members: a chairman who is appointed by the US president with the consent of the Senate, and two associate members appointed by the Secretary of the Interior.<ref>Fox, Jim, Jim Kilby, & Anthony F. Lucas."Casino Operations Management." 2005. John Wiley and Sons. 26. {{ISBN|0-471-26632-9}}.</ref> Each member serves a three-year term and must pass a detailed background check by the US Attorney General.

The NIGC withholds certain powers over Class II and Class III gaming. These include budget approval, civil fines, fees, subpoenas, and permanent orders. The NIGC monitors Class II gaming on Native lands on a continuing basis through inspection, investigation, access to records, and contracts.<ref>Fox, Jim, Jim Kilby, & Anthony F. Lucas."Casino Operations Management." 2005. John Wiley and Sons. 28. {{ISBN|0-471-26632-9}}.</ref> As for Class III gaming, all contracts must be approved by the chairman of the NIGC. 200 of the 562 federally recognized tribes created Class III gaming of large casinos and high jackpots.{{sfn|Wilkinson|2005|p=336}}

This rise of gaming not only brought great revenue but also corruption. In January 2006, a court case involving lobbyists convicted of felonies such as conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion. This was known as the [[Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal]]. These lobbyists, [[Jack Abramoff]], [[Ralph Reed]], [[Grover Norquist]], and [[Michael Scanlon]], bribed members of Congress when lobbying for Native casinos, then overcharged their Native clients; this generated around $90 million in fees from the Natives.<ref>''Congress--and Other U.S. Cesspools'' {{ISBN|0-932438-29-6}}, {{ISBN|978-0-932438-29-4}}</ref>