Fees

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC or Commission) is amending its fee regulation. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) requires Tribal gaming operations to pay a fee to the Commission for each gaming operation regulated by IGRA that conducts Class II or Class III gaming activity. IGRA also requires that "[t]he Commission, by a vote of not less than two of its members, shall annually adopt the rate of the fees authorized by this section which shall be payable to the Commission on a quarterly basis." Pursuant to the Commission's authority to "promulgate such regulations and guidelines as it deems appropriate to implement the provisions of [IGRA]," the Commission is amending its regulations to provide for the submittal of fees and fee worksheets on a quarterly basis rather than bi-annually; to provide for operations to calculate fees based on the gaming operation's fiscal year rather than a calendar year; to amend certain language in the regulation to better reflect industry usage; to establish an assessment for fees and fee worksheets submitted one to ninety days late; and to establish a fingerprinting fee payment process.