An Indigenous group intends to construct a gambling establishment.
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, a federally recognised Native American community in Massachusetts, has been diligently working towards establishing a casino on their reservation lands for several years. This endeavour, tied closely to their federal recognition and land status, has seen both progress and challenges.
In 2007, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe was re-acknowledged as a federally recognised tribe, following a lengthy process spanning over three decades. This recognition paved the way for them to seek federal trust lands and gaming rights. In 2015, the federal government declared approximately 150 acres in Mashpee and 170 acres in Taunton as the Tribeβs initial reservation lands, enabling them to exercise full tribal sovereignty rights, crucial for gaming enterprises.
The tribe's casino plans, however, have been met with political, legal, and regulatory challenges. The ability to operate a gaming facility is subject to federal approvals under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and negotiations with the state government. Opposition at both federal and local levels, scrutiny over whether the lands meet the criteria for gaming on "Indian lands," and ongoing legal and political battles over the tribe's land-into-trust status have complicated their efforts.
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has resorted to a 250-year-old treaty in their pursuit, alleging that the U.S. authorities are not fulfilling their obligations, leading to poverty and landlessness. The tribe has filed a complaint with the federal government, seeking protection for the native population.
As of mid-2025, the Mashpee Wampanoag continue to maintain federal recognition and reservation lands. While the casino has not yet been fully approved and operational, the tribe's federal status and land holdings position them to pursue gaming operations pending resolution of regulatory and political matters. Their case reflects ongoing dynamics in Indian Country involving federal trust responsibilities, tribal sovereignty, and state cooperation.
The tribe believes that building a casino could positively impact their current situation. They aim to lease land from the federal government to build the casino, and are taking all possible and impossible measures to obtain permission. The Mashpee Wampanoag's efforts are part of broader challenges many tribes face, including navigating federal funding, sovereignty rights, and state-tribal relations.
[1] Native American Rights Fund. (n.d.). Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Retrieved from https://www.narf.org/cases/mashpee-wampanoag-tribe/ [5] National Congress of American Indians. (n.d.). Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Retrieved from https://www.ncai.org/our-work/policy-issues/tribal-self-governance/tribal-self-governance-profiles/mashpee-wampanoag-tribe
- What about the gambling trends in Las Vegas can the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe learn from, as they continue their pursuit of a casino on their reservation lands?
- The casino-culture and casino-games, so prevalent in places like Las Vegas, could potentially bring a significant change to casino-and-gambling practices within the casino-personalities of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, if their efforts are successful.
- The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's casino endeavor, embroiled in political, legal, and regulatory challenges, reflects the broader casino-culture struggles faced by numerous Native American communities, underscoring the need for further understanding and championing of casino-sovereignty rights in American Indian Country.
