Mechoopda is the fourth tribe to voice opposition against rushed legislation, highlighting lack of unity even among gaming tribes
WASHINGTON, DC – The Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria has formally opposed Assembly Bill 831 (AB 831), becoming the fourth California tribal nation to voice their opposition against the bill. If passed, AB 831 would ban legitimate online social games with sweepstakes promotions in the state.
The Mechoopda Indian Tribe’s partnership with Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) partner Yellow Social Interactive highlights the growing divide amongst tribal nations when it comes to the bill.
“AB831 is a flawed and rushed bill that lacks broad tribal consensus. As the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria highlighted in their opposition, this bill would limit economic options available to tribes and worsen already fragile economic conditions,” said Jeff Duncan, Executive Director of SGLA and former Congressman. “What lawmakers should focus on instead is creating proper regulation that supports online social games, creates new revenue sources for the state and protects economic opportunities for all tribes.”
In a letter to the President pro Tempore Senator Mike McGuire and the California Senate, Mechoopda leaders argued that passing AB831 would be a mistake due to its economic implications and divide amongst tribes across California.
Highlighting the economic disparity that AB831 would exacerbate among tribal nations in California, Dennis Ramirez, Chairman of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, wrote: “Tribal nations in more remote regions face distinct economic development obstacles and cannot match the scale or market advantages of wealthier, more well-established casino operations in metropolitan areas. Measures like AB 831 would curtail promising digital commerce avenues that represent critical supplementary income sources for tribes. AB 831 exemplifies this problematic dynamic, as it would effectively close off emerging revenue opportunities that could help level the playing field for economically disadvantaged tribal communities.”
The Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria joins Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation (Cortina Rancheria), Big Lagoon Rancheria, and the Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians in opposing AB831. Like Sherwood, Mechoopda is a member of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), a co-sponsor of AB831 alongside wealthy California gaming tribe Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.
Mechoopda and Sherwood’s opposition to AB831 shines a light on the deep division and lack of tribal agreement towards this flawed bill even among gaming tribes, while the continued growth in the number of tribes opposed to this bill challenges the myth of tribal unanimity and highlights to lawmakers that AB831 will only increase economic disparity among tribes in the state.
AB831 was introduced as a last-minute “gut-and-amend” bill in July. The SGLA continues to urge California lawmakers to reject AB831 and instead pursue policies that expand economic opportunity, respect tribal sovereignty, and preserve access to popular forms of digital entertainment for all Californians.
To learn more about SGLA, please visit our website at www.SGLeadership.org and our social channels at LinkedIn, X, Facebook and BlueSky.
Contact
Laurie Rossbach
Partner, Seven Letter
202.258.7810
Laurie@SevenLetter.com
About the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance
The SGLA’s operator partners are VGW, PLAYSTUDIOS, Yellow Social Interactive, ARB Interactive and B-Two Operations, representing Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, Global Poker, Pulsz, Pulsz Bingo, Modo Casino, McLuck, HelloMillions and SpinBlitz. Other partners include major payments provider Nuvei. The SGLA’s advocacy and standards focus exclusively on online social games. Our advocacy does not extend to operators offering sports products or transacting in cryptocurrency.
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) champions social gaming operators who offer innovative, free-to-play entertainment experiences enjoyed by millions of Americans while promoting responsible digital entertainment. Our partners set the standard for innovation, world class games and the responsible use of digital marketing including sweepstakes promotions. We advocate for appropriate oversight that recognizes the unique entertainment value of social online games, protects players, platforms and the community, and promotes responsible gameplay.
