FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    OTJ
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1998                                                                                                                             (202) 514-2008


JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCE PLAN FOR ORDERLY
TRANSITION TO LEGAL INDIAN GAMING

Tribes Expected to Keep Promise to Cease Uncompacted Gambling

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Under a plan announced today by the
Justice Department and California, Indian tribes in the state
that want to offer certain kinds of gambling will have two
options for reaching compacts with the state.  According to the
Justice Department, the plan will help resolve the divisive issue
of gaming by Indian tribes in California.

     Under federal law, Class III gaming, which includes games
other than ceremonial Indian games, bingo, and certain card
games, is lawful on Indian lands if it is authorized by a tribal-state compact.  The two-option plan announced today will allow
tribes to reach tribal-state compacts authorizing Class III
gaming.  Tribes that decline these options and engage in illegal
Class III gaming will face immediate federal enforcement.

     The two-option plan follows a compact that California signed
today with the Pala Band of Mission Indians.  The Pala Band
compact allows certain video-machine games based on instant
lotteries.

     The first option will allow tribes to adopt a compact like
the one the state reached with the Pala Band.  A tribe that
chooses this option may continue any gaming that it is currently
offering during a reasonable transition period.

     Under the second option, a tribe may ask for immediate
negotiations with California on a different compact.  If the
tribe is not involved in illegal Class III gaming or agrees to
cease such gaming, the state will negotiate with the tribe. 
California has agreed that a tribe choosing this option will be
able to enforce the state's obligation under federal law to
negotiate a compact in good faith without the state's raising its
immunity to suit in federal court.  Under a recent Supreme Court
ruling, the state could raise immunity to bar such a suit.

     Under the plan, a tribe will have 60 days to select one of
these alternatives.  If, after 60 days, a tribe is involved in
Class III gaming without a compact and has not committed to one
of these options, the United States will bring immediate
enforcement action.

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