PHOENIX (AP) - The state of Arizona and the Tohono O'odham Nation have settled a lawsuit that will allow the tribe to operate full-fledged Indian gambling and sell alcohol at its casino in Glendale but bar it from opening more gambling operations in the Valley.
The settlement announced Wednesday between Gov. Doug Ducey and the Tohono O'odham Nation ends a yearslong dispute over the tribe's Desert Diamond Casino near Glendale.
According to a release, the Secretary of the Interior must approve the amended compact between the two before the settlement agreement can go into effect.
“This agreement is a major victory for Arizona, one that ensures that there are meaningful restrictions on additional casinos in the greater-Phoenix-metro area.” Gov. Ducey said in a release.
The tribe opened the casino in 2015 but the Ducey administration denied it a license to operate full-fledged gambling. The casino instead has bingo-style slots and no card tables, and no state license to serve alcohol.
The tribe and the state had been locked in an ongoing battle in federal court over the casino.
“This agreement brings the litigation on this issue to a close. It is time for us to move forward together," Ducey said. "I am eager to continue meeting with gaming tribes to discuss how we can modernize the tribal-state gaming compacts and create positive economic opportunities for all Arizonans. I welcome the Tohono O’odham Nation to this process.”