'A major step forward': Federal government approves gaming license for UKB tribe

A federal ruling has cleared the way for the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians to resume gaming operations on its trust land in Tahlequah.

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) approved the UKB’s request for a gaming license, settling a decade-long jurisdictional battle between the smaller tribe and the Cherokee Nation. The decision marks a major turning point for the smaller federally recognized tribe, which had operated a casino in Tahlequah until legal action in 2013 forced it to close.

A ruling years in the making

The conflict between the United Keetoowah Band and the Cherokee Nation stems from long-standing questions over land rights and tribal authority in eastern Oklahoma.

In 2013, the Cherokee Nation sued to block the UKB from operating a casino, arguing the tribe lacked legal standing to use the land for gaming. The UKB had run a facility in Tahlequah for more than 20 years before being forced to shut down operations.

Federal government affirms dual jurisdiction

Earlier this year, the federal government ruled that both the United Keetoowah Band and the Cherokee Nation hold equal rights over the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation. That decision laid the foundation for the NIGC's recent gaming license approval.

Chief: ‘A major step forward’

UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche called the approval a milestone for tribal economic development.

“Gaming is one of several economic development tools we’re pursuing to generate revenue and deliver critical services to our members,” Wacoche said.

“While additional steps remain before UKB gaming operations resume, the NIGC’s decision affirms what decades of federal law have made clear: Indian Tribes have the right to regulate and conduct gaming on their lands,” said Wacoche.

Read the NIGC letter here:

PREVIOUS STORIES:

1. Oklahoma's Own In Focus: Federal government opinion says UKB & Cherokee Nation share a reservation, tribes react
2. United Keetoowah Band hails jurisdiction ruling while Cherokee Nation plans legal challenges