Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians opposes California sweepstakes legislation

This is the third Tribe to come against this bill.

The Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians in California has pushed back against CA Assembly Bill 831, recent state sweepstakes legislation.

The Tribe sent a letter to the California Senate Appropriations Committee, stating its opposition to the current legislation and claims the bill has advanced “without meaningful consultation of broader tribal interests.” The letter asks the committee to reject AB 831.

The Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians also claimed this measure does not have “the alleged unanimous support among California tribes” and poses a threat to the Tribe’s right to generate revenue streams in support of its community.

This is the third California Tribe to oppose this bill. Big Lagoon Rancheria and the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation Tribe have voiced similar concerns within the past month.

“For tribes like ours—operating in rural Northern California communities—traditional economic development faces significant challenges,” the Tribe said in its written statement. “While we have established gaming operations, smaller tribal enterprises like ours often lack the scale and resources of large, well-established gaming operations that dominate prime markets.

“Policies such as those proposed in AB 831 restrict emerging digital commerce opportunities that could provide essential supplemental revenue streams, effectively limiting the economic diversification options available to tribes like ours to the advantage of wealthier tribes aligned with powerful gaming interests.”

A spokesperson for the Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGA) commented, “The growing number of tribes highlighting the economic harm they fear from AB 831 makes it clear that California lawmakers must hit the pause button on the bill.”

Laura Mack

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