Archives - June, 2018



29 Jun 18

New Mexico has a rocky gaming history. When the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was signed by the House in 1989, it seemed like New Mexico would be one of the states to get on the Amerindian casino bandwagon. Politics guaranteed that would not be the situation.

The New Mexico governor Bruce King announced a panel in 1990 to create a compact with New Mexico Native tribes. When the task force arrived at an accord with 2 prominent local tribes a year later, Governor King declined to sign the bargain. He would hold up a deal until 1994.

When a new governor took office in Nineteen Ninety Five, it seemed that Amerindian gambling in New Mexico was a certainty. But when the new Governor passed the compact with the Indian tribes, anti-gaming groups were able to hold the accord up in the courts. A New Mexico court ruled that Governor Johnson had overstepped his bounds in signing the accord, thus costing the government of New Mexico hundreds of thousands of dollars in licensing fees over the next several years.

It took the CNA, signed by the New Mexico house, to get the process moving on a full accord amongst the State of New Mexico and its Indian bands. Ten years had been lost for gaming in New Mexico, including Native casino Bingo.

The nonprofit Bingo industry has gotten bigger from 1999. In that year, New Mexico charity game operators acquired only $3,048 in revenues. That climbed to $725,150 in 2000, and surpassed one million dollars in 2001. Nonprofit Bingo earnings have grown steadily since that time. Two Thousand and Five saw the largest year, with $1,233,289 grossed by the owners.

Bingo is apparently popular in New Mexico. All kinds of operators try for a slice of the action. Hopefully, the politicos are done batting over gambling as a key issue like they did back in the 90’s. That is without doubt hopeful thinking.







16 Jun 18

[ English ]

There are a number casinos located in the commonwealth, the biggest number being on anchored scows. The biggest of the Iowa gambling halls is the Meswaki Bingo Casino Hotel, an Amerindian gambling hall in Tama, with 127,669 sq.ft. of casino room, 1,500 slots, 30 table games, like twenty-one, craps, roulette, and baccarat, and several styles of poker; also 3 dining rooms, monthly shows, and gaming advice. One more substantial Amerindian gambling hall is the Winna Vegas, with 45,000 sq.ft., 668 slots, and fourteen table games. Additionally, the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Council Bluffs never closes, with 38,500 square feet, 1,589 slots, 36 table games, and four dining rooms. There are several other popular Iowa casinos, which includes Harrah’s Council Bluffs, with 28,250 square feet, 1,212 slots, and 39 table games.

A tinier Iowa casino is the Diamond Jo, a river boat casino in Dubuque, with 17,813 sq.ft., 776 slot machines, and 19 table games. The Catfish Bend paddle wheel boat, in Fort Madison, with 13,000 sq.ft., 535 one armed bandits, and 14 table games. An additional Iowa river based gambling den, The Isle of Capri, is available all day and night, with 24,939 square feet, 1,100 slots, and 24 table games. The Mississippi Belle II, a 10,577 sq.ft. river boat casino in Clinton, has 506 slots, 14 table games, live entertainment, and Thursday vingt-et-un events.

Iowa casinos offer an exceptional amount of tax money to the commonwealth of Iowa, which has allowed the budgeting of many state wide activities. Visitors have increased at a rapid percentage along with the requirement for services and an increase in working people. Iowa gambling halls have been instrumental to the advancement of the market, and the excitement for gaming in Iowa is across the board.