Sec. 1. Notwithstanding IGRA’s express prohibition against state taxation of tribal gaming activities, revenue-sharing payments from tribal gaming to a state may be considered lawful under IGRA when such payments are bargained for in exchange for meaningful concessions from the state, i.e., quantifiable economic benefits over which the state is not required to negotiate under IGRA, such as substantial exclusive rights to engage in Class III gaming activities. Accordingly, and as consideration for the revenue sharing payments required under section 2 of this chapter, the State agrees that the Band’s right to conduct Class III gaming on the South Bend Site under IC 4-29.5-3 shall be exclusive of any “Expanded Gaming” within the “Exclusivity Area”, which is comprised of the Indiana counties of Elkhart, Fulton, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Miami, Noble, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Wabash, and Whitley. For purposes of this paragraph, Expanded Gaming means, within the Exclusivity Area and as of the Endorsement Date, (i) the licensure of any Gambling Operation as defined in IC 4-29.5-2-12(1) if that licensure would result in a greater number of Gambling Operations within the Exclusivity Area, would permit a Gambling Operation that holds a license as of the Endorsement Date to relocate to a new licensed location within the Exclusivity Area (other than the relocation from a dock site to property adjacent to the dock site, as permitted by Indiana Code 4-33-6-24), or would permit a Gambling Operation that does not hold a license for a location within the Exclusivity Area as of the Endorsement Date to locate to a new licensed location within the Exclusivity Area; or (ii) the licensure of any Gambling Operation as defined in IC 4-29.5-2-12(2) for a location within the Exclusivity Area. Subject to the foregoing limitations regarding Gambling Operations within the Exclusivity Area, the term Expanded Gaming shall not include (i) any new gaming facility or any expansion of an existing gaming facility in which the Band has the “sole proprietary interest”, as that term is defined at IGRA 2710(b)(2)(A) and 25 C.F.R. § 522.4(b)(l); (ii) any new game operated by the Band at such facilities under this Compact or under any successor compact; (iii) any new game operated at a Gambling Operation that holds a license as of the Endorsement Date; (iv) any new game operated by the Indiana State Lottery pursuant to IC 4-30; or (v) any new game operated by a “qualified organization” as defined in IC 4-32.3-2-31, (vi) any new game operated by a satellite facility licensed under IC 4-31-5, or (vii) any new game operated by a retailer endorsement or license under IC 4-36-4.

As added by P.L.171-2021, SEC.1.