Gaming Commissioners receive certification

By Ken Luchterhand



Ho-Chunk Gaming Commissioners Cori Blaschke, Lena Walker, and Winona Mann recently received their certification from the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA).
The mission of NIGA is to protect and preserve the general welfare of tribes striving for self-sufficiency through gaming enterprises in Indian Country. To fulfill its mission, NIGA works with the Federal government and Congress to develop sound policies and practices and to provide technical assistance and advocacy on gaming-related issues. In addition, NIGA seeks to maintain and protect Indian sovereign governmental authority in Indian Country.
“It was one of our goals to have members of the Ho-Chunk Nation certified from NIGA. This is the first time this has been achieved,” Blaschke said.
The effort to be certified took a little more than a year, with Blaschke, Walker and Mann attending classes in Michigan, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Each of the sites offered three days of classes. This year’s event brought together over 300 attendees, including tribal leaders, gaming industry executives, managers, CEOs and Commissioners. The training program provided each attendee with new insights and strategies for personal and business success.
“The classes covered everything, from the history of how gaming was established to how and why gaming is regulated. Part of the curriculum includes the history of gambling law, the ones that regulate Indian gaming,” Blaschke said. “Our law is from the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.” The sessions included:
 •Roles, Responsibilities & Ethics When Licensing Casino Employees
•Using the Licensing Process to Protect the Tribe and Protect Tribal Sovereignty
•How to be Diligent When Licensing Casino Employees...Top 10 Screening Tips?
•Reviewing the various components that make up a thorough background checks
•Vendor Licensing: The Dos and the Do Nots, Understanding those financial statements
•Review of Case Studies
•Facility License: Processes, Protocols and Considerations
There are two types of gaming and gaming regulation. The first type is for commercial applications, such as those for casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, etc. The second type is tribal gaming, which was established through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that established the National Indian Gaming Commission based in Washington, D.C.
There are state laws and regulations as well, as defined by the Wisconsin State Gaming Compact, Blaschke said.


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