One week after launching, the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians' casino development has had its gaming approval withdrawn by the US Department of the Interior.
Indeed, this ruling has forced the casino to temporarily close its doors following the Interior’s decision that the Tribe has not met the ‘restored lands’ exception under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) – which requires that Tribes demonstrate modern, historical and temporal ties to newly acquired trust land.
The Tribe has outlined its intentions to challenge this ruling in court with Chairman Shawn Davis stating that they intend to move quickly to submit their counterargument against this decision – stating that the record “overwhelmingly” supports the Tribe’s gaming eligibility, with casino activities at the location formally suspended.
US Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary William H. Kirkland III stated that “upon consideration, the band has not established a historical connection to the parcel,” providing no further information pertaining to the specifics behind the decision.
Scotts Valley’s efforts to establish a Tribal casino on these grounds has been long-running and met with opposition from neighboring Tribes, with the Interior issuing a decision to place the land into trust for gaming, government operations and housing in early 2025.
A larger Class III project including buildings, homes, bars, restaurants, an administrative building and a ballroom followed – with review of the Interior’s initial decision being formally requested by the Trump administration following opposition from local Tribes involving a number of legal challenges.
Last month, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) formally reported a fiscal year gross gaming revenue of $46.2bn for the US’ Tribal gaming industry – a year-over-year rise of 5.3%
Scotts Valley initially broke ground on its first development on these grounds in September 2025
