Panel kills bill banning video gaming at tribal casinos

An Idaho House panel has killed a bill aimed at banning lucrative video gaming at tribal casinos in Idaho.

The Spokesman-Review reports that the House State Affairs Committee on Thursday killed the bill concerning what gaming is allowed on Indian reservations.

Tribal members had warned that the proposed law would violate contracts between the tribes, state and federal government.

Coeur d’Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan in statement says the tribe is pleased that committee members recognized the confusion that would be created and chose to prevent the bill from moving forward.

Republican Rep. Tom Loertscher backed the legislation that would have removed a key section of a 2002 law detailing that video machines could not be defined as illegal slot machines.

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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com