This week, tribal leaders will meet in Rapid City to discuss economic development matters and, in particular, gambling compacts signed by American Indian Tribes and the State. The eight Sioux tribes that operate casinos in South Dakota have contracts with the State by which they can only have up to 250 slot machines each.

“Adding more slots at the tribe’s casino would help the tribe and the state,” John Yellowbird Steele, Chairman of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, said. "Our customers come from Wyoming and Nebraska. We're bringing people into South Dakota. We're actually helping the economy of South Dakota.”

Eloise Drapeau, secretary of the Flandreau Santee Tribe in Flandreau, which operates the Royal River Casino at Flandreau, said they also need more machines and since their facilities can hold 500 machines on the floor, it wouldn’t represent extra costs.

According to federal laws, tribes have the right to operate the same types of gambling allowed elsewhere in the state but require them to have gambling compacts with the State. Some tribal members think that the limit on slot machines is unreasonably low and the State keeps it that way to protect video lottery and gambling in Deadwood.