This didn’t happen by mistake, nor without careful consideration on the effects to our members and our surrounding communities. 'California tribes have been successfully engaged in the gaming market for more than four decades. This is another example of outside influences trying to divide and conquer Indian tribes. It is hard not to be offended when listening to these individuals speak. 'The entire effort surrounding these initiatives was handled abhorrently by the initiative sponsors. Last week, the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) voted to “oppose two sports wagering initiatives that were recently filed with the California Secretary of State’s office.” The vote ( the tally was 18-0 ) was taken after a meeting between the initiative’s backers and the CNIGA executive committee.ĬNIGA Chairman James Siva didn’t pull any punches in rebuking the initiatives :
