Panels hear Puyallup Tribe compact restatement; tribe outlines gaming-funded services and responsible-gaming steps

A joint public hearing of the Washington State Senate Committee on Business, Financial Services and Trade and the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee on Aug. 11 reviewed a restatement of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ gaming compact and heard leaders from the Puyallup Tribe and Emerald Queen Casinos describe how tribal gaming funds programs and responsible-gaming work. The Washington State Gambling Commission staff said commissioners will hold a public meeting Aug. 14 to accept comment and vote on whether to forward the restated compact to the governor or return it for further negotiation.

The compact restatement consolidates prior amendments to the Puyallup compact (originally signed in 1996) and updates several technical provisions the tribe and state negotiated, said Julie Leese, tribal liaison for the Washington State Gambling Commission. Leese said the restatement includes appendices for electronic table games, licensing and a unified set of definitions intended to remove conflicts among earlier documents. “The Puyallup Tribe’s compact was originally signed in 1996. It’s been amended six times since then,” Leese said.

The commission summary described specific changes under negotiation: removal of some per‑facility caps…