The Sault Tribe Claims That the Compact Allows It to Lower Gaming Age to 18 in Its Michigan Casinos

The Sault Tribe Claims That the Compact Allows It to Lower Gaming Age to 18 in Its Michigan Casinos

All Michigan casinos that the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians owns and operates will soon start signing players who are 18 years and above. The Tribe has five casinos in the state, and the federal government recognizes it.

The Tribe announced its decision to reduce its legal gaming age as the Class III gaming compact allows it in Michigan. Tribes are sovereign entities that can create their legislations on various vices, including the minimum gambling age.

The Tribe’s Class III compact permits tribal gaming for any individual who has reached 18 years. Before the Tribe made this announcement this week, it was only players who were 19 years and above who could access its Kewadin Casino locations.

Allen Kerridge, the Chief Executive Officer of Kewadin Casinos, stated that the Tribe’s decision to allow players who are 18 years and above to play in its casinos will grant all adults exclusive access to its gaming properties. He added that this will allow the Tribe’s casinos to compete fairly with other Michigan-based tribal casinos whose minimum gaming age is 18 years.

The gaming executive said that the age limit transition will offer clients consistency in Michigan’s gaming industry. Kewadin Casinos started implementing the minimum gambling age on March 30, 2022. They are in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Kewadin Casino Sault Ste. Marie is the biggest Sault Tribe casino. It has a 319-room cozy hotel and over 800 slot machines.

Tribes’ Sovereignty

Sovereign tribes in the United States aren’t required to follow many state mandates and laws. These exemptions were more evident when the Coronavirus outbreak occurred.

Michigan’s tribal casinos closed due to their reasons in 2020 as the virus spread all over the world, and there wasn’t a higher authority that required sovereign gaming business as they aren’t under the governor’s orders.

Even so, Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) closed three commercial casinos in Detroit between Mid-March and Mid-December 2020.

Signing players who are 18 years old and above will offer established tribal casinos an advantage over Detroit casinos which the law requires to sign individuals who have reached 21 years.

Many casino operators don’t focus a lot on the 18- to 21-year-old demographic as most young adults lack or have less disposable income. Even so, they have strongly embraced legal sports gambling.

Kewadin casinos can choose to sign up millennials in their loyalty rewards programs after they grant them access to their floors.

Alcohol Is Still a Major Concern

Alcohol is a leading challenge that Michigan tribal casinos that allow under-21 players are facing. The law doesn’t prohibit sovereign tribes from allowing individuals who are below 21 to bet. But it restricts them from taking alcohol.

Federal laws state that all federally recognized tribes must follow each state’s alcohol law in their reservations. The Sault Tribe made a press release while declaring its new minimum gambling age that stated that its bartenders and servers are sufficiently trained.

Kewadin Casinos use the Michigan TIPS Training and Certification program. The Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) guides client-facing restaurant staff on measures that they can use to avoid guest intoxication. Also, it offers participants extra training and gives them more knowledge on how to prevent underage players from drinking.

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