New York: Federal court backs Cayuga Nation in gaming dispute

A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Cayuga Nation, rejecting an attempt by the New York State Gaming Commission to dismiss a lawsuit over gaming operations on the Nation’s land.

The July 30 decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York allows the Cayuga Nation to proceed with its claims, which allege that the state is illegally operating Class III gaming activities—such as PowerBall and Mega Millions—on the Nation’s federally recognized 64,015-acre reservation without a valid compact or tribal consent.

The court found it has jurisdiction to hear the case and rejected arguments that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) limited the Nation’s ability to bring its claims in federal court. The ruling stated that IGRA’s provisions are “judicially administrable” and do not restrict a court from exercising equitable jurisdiction.