Saskatchewan corners casino market

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Casinos may be a future money-maker for the government of Saskatchewan but Natives are being told to look elsewhere for a means of income.

The minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority said the province will open its own casinos in Regina and Saskatoon, but any Native gaming houses opening on reserves will be shut down.

"We have to determine that we must proceed with the limited and controlled expansion of casinos in the province," Eldon Lautermilch said.

"More Saskatchewan gaming dollars are flowing across our borders every day to other jurisdictions and casino expansion in Saskatchewan can stem the flow."

The province plans to open the two casinos, each with 500 slot machines and traditional table games, by 1995.

And while Aboriginals have a strong argument in favor of using casinos to promote their own social and economic development, they do not have the legal authority to regulate and control casinos, he said.

Provincial governments are the only authority that can manage and control electronic gaming under the Criminal Code. Organizations like the First Nations Gaming Alliance, a group of four Saskatchewan bands looking to set up their own casinos, will not be allowed to run gaming houses.

Several other Native groups, including the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, have been negotiating with the province to open Aboriginal-run casinos on reserves.

Federation Chief Roland Crowe is currently working on a deal with the province and an American casino company that will allow Natives to share in the profits from the Regina and Saskatoon casinos.

The federation will share its portion of the profits with its 72 member bands, Crowe said.