The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians are at odds over a new casino project in California. For more than a century, the two tribes have coexisted despite their different native tongues.
A 128-acre hillside parcel in Solano County, about 45 minutes outside of San Francisco, is now at the center of a debate about who should have access to the land. The Scotts Valley Band wants the US Bureau of Indian Affairs to grant them access by putting the parcel into a federal trust. Once they have access to the land, the Scotts Valley Band wants to build a $700 million casino resort. However, former President Trump struck down that idea after he rejected the request in 2019.
Today, a federal judge overturned that ruling, saying the government had overstepped its authority. The new ruling has caused the Yocha Dehe Nation to get upset with the Biden administration as they insist that the property is the homeland of their ancestors. Yocha Dehe Tribal Chairman Anthony Roberts said, “It’s a bit disrespectful to have a tribe come from 90-plus miles away to develop something in our homeland.”
If the Scotts Valley project comes to fruition, they plan to build an eight-story gaming complex with a 24-hour casino that would remain open 24 hours a day. The casino is also expected to provide 3,650 full-time jobs.
The casino plans have wedged the two tribes against each other. Yocha Dehe Tribal Treasurer Leland Kinter said the two tribes haven’t spoken in years despite a previously good relationship. At one time, the Yocha Dehe nation offer financial assistance to build the casino on a more appropriate site.
California Casinos & Online Gambling Options
In the great state of California, there are no commercial or privately owned casinos, as they are all owned and operated by Native American tribes. There are currently 76 tribal casinos in California, owned by 64 tribes. There are 109 federally recognized tribes in California.
Many of the most trusted CA casinos are found online, but domestic services offer the same gaming options and oversight regulation. You can also find other gambling options, including racebooks and cardrooms. California players are accepted by most of the reputable online gambling sites, and since there are no state laws, players can wager on any site they choose.
Popular online casino games include blackjack, craps, roulette, video poker, and other specialty games like Keno and Bingo.