Bingo, blackjack, and one-armed bandits in the northwoods: A sociology of American Indian gaming in the United States

This dissertation analyzes Indian gaming and the surrounding issues on the national, state, and tribal levels. It examines Indian-White relations with special attention to its history and the contemporary role of self-determination legislation, originally passed in the 1970s, and related litigation in regard to gaming. Since states vary in the manner in which they address the issue, Wisconsin, where the researcher resides, was chosen as a case study. Similarly, Indian tribes differ greatly in the manner in which they deal with gaming, so the Ho-Chunk Tribe of Wisconsin was selected as a case study.;The dissertation argues that the controversy over Indian gaming is not primarily over Indian casinos. Instead, it is the arena in which states are trying to push back the political and legal gains tribes made in the 1970s. In this arena the conflict between states and tribes over political control of Indian resources, land, and people is carried out. This means that on the state level historical forces continue to operate while the position and attitudes of tribes have changed. This study further shows that on the tribal level gaming has led to significant population increases but also an intensification of tensions between tribal factions. The tribe continues to have problems with identifying new needs and goals and developing appropriate management strategies and business plans in a short amount of time. The ensuing intratribal controversies can be understood as conflicts over acculturation and cultural maintenance.;The research for this dissertation relies on library research, telephone interviews with each of the Wisconsin tribes, and interviews with tribal members and tribal and non-tribal employees of the Ho-Chunk Casino. The telephone interviews are designed to understand the diversity of Indian gaming, the goals, and problems from the perspective of the tribes involved. The interviews with Ho-Chunks and casino employees focus on clarifying the structure of the casinos and the impact of gaming on the culture, economy, and politics of the tribe.