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INDIAN CASINOS

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino
7777 Lucky Eagle Drive
Eagle Pass, Texas 78852
(888) 255-8259
More information

Speaking Rock Casino (Closed 2002)
122 South Old Pueblo Road
El Paso, TX 79907
Located in front of the Ysleta old Mission

Alabama-Coushatta Casino (Closed 2002)
Livingston, TX 77351
 

HISTORY OF TEXAS INDIAN CASINOS
In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that since federally recognized Indian tribes are considered sovereign entities they could have casinos outside of state jurisdiction.

Texas has three federally-recognized tribes:

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
Route 3 Box 640
Livingston, TX 77351

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
Kickapoo Traditional Council
Post Office Box 972
Eagle Pass, TX 78853

Tigua Reservation
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo
Post Office Box 17579
El Paso, TX 79917

This 1987 Supreme Court ruling led to the 1987 Registration Act followed by the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). Only the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas is authorized under the IGRA to operate a casino. The Tigua and Alabama-Coushatta tribes were granted federal recognition under the 1987 Indian Restoration Act, but were specifically prohibited by that act from casino operations.

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino

In 1996 the Kickapoo established the Lucky Eagle Casino in the small town of Eagle Pass about 100 miles south of San Antonio.
In 2008 the Texas Attorney General’s office sued over the legality of the casino even though the Kickapoo are an IGRA tribe. The case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court after the tribe lost in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Tigua’s Speaking Rock Casino

In 1992 the Tigua tribe of El Paso petitioned Governor Ann Richards to negotiate a gaming compact for an Indian casino on their reservation, however, the governor rejected their request. The Tigua felt their rights under federal law were ignored, so in 1993, they opened the Speaking Rock Casino without state approval. That began a ten year battle in the courts over the legality of their casino.

Governor George W. Bush contended the Tigua violated Texas anti-gambling laws, however, the Tigua countered that their slot machines were similar to the Texas lottery. They claimed both used computers to randomly generate numbers for players. The final judicial decision came in January 2002 when the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the tribe. The state showed the Tigua were violating the 1987 Indian Restoration Act, so the Speaking Rock Casino was forced to close in February 2002.

The Tigua reopened the Speaking Rock Casino in 2007 without a court order, so in March 2008 the Office of the Attorney General filed a Contempt of Court Motion against the Tigua.

Alabama-Coushatta Casino

In 2001 the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas opened a tribal casino in Livingston, Texas. After nine months of operations it was forced to close after the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the tribe was violating the 1987 Indian Restoration Act which prohibited their operating a casino. The casino generated $1 million/month for its tribal members during is operation.

 

NEWS ARCHIVE

10.19.2009   Grand Prairie horse track back on the auction block
09.29.2009   Chickasaws bid $27 million for bankrupt Grand Prairie horse track
08.10.2009   Tiguas dispute court's ruling to shut down slots and sweepstakes
05.18.2009   Casino gambling bill is dead

03.30.2009   Tigua asking lawmakers to reopen Speaking Rock Casino
02.25.2009   Major casino bill introduced in Texas legislature
02.24.2009   Galveston eyes casinos to stay afloat
02.20.2009   Bill would legalize Texas Indian casinos

12.31.2008   Tigua Tribe hopes to reopen Speaking Rock Casino
12.13.2008   Alabama-Coushatta and Tigua hope to reopen casinos
12.04.2007   Eagle Pass Casino Considers Las Vegas-style Gaming