The Oklahoma-based Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes thought that they were all set to begin running their online poker operation. After all, the tribe previously worked out a deal with the Oklahoma government, whereby the two sides will share revenue from the internet poker site. However, the deal has hit a snag because the US federal government are objecting to it.
The first thought that may come to mind here is that this is just another instance of the US government sticking their nose into a poker matter. But the reason why the federal government are stepping in has little to do with online poker. Instead, they think that the sovereign Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes are getting a bad deal from the Oklahoma government. Going further, they don’t think that the Sooner State are offering the tribe any “meaningful concessions” in the revenue deal.
As per the deal, the tribe would be able to offer online poker to foreign countries. In return, Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes would give Oklahoma the following:
- Four percent of the first $10 million in revenue from online poker
- Five percent of the next $10 million
- Six percent of further revenues
- A monthly 10 percent payment from “non-house banked card games” (internet poker)
Apparently, the tribe doesn’t believe that they’re getting a raw deal because they’ve launched a lawsuit against the US federal government. Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes are asking an Oklahoma City federal court judge to prevent the United States from interfering with the online gaming deal.
Despite the lawsuit, the US federal government isn’t backing down. They’re in firm belief that Oklahoma “cannot control, nor can it offer, exclusive access to a market of patrons located exclusively outside the United States and its territories.”
We’re not quite sure what Oklahoma can offer the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes in this deal either, other than their non-needed approval on internet poker. The two sides already have a working relationship with the Lucky Star Casino, which the tribe operate in Concho and Clinton Oklahoma. So maybe this has something to do with the revenue sharing deal? Whatever the case may be, Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes seem fine with the deal and appear to simply want their online poker operation off the ground as quickly as possible.