Nacogdoches, Texas — The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe announced plans this week to build a casino resort on land northeast of Houston that it owns but is not part of, or directly connected to, its reservation.
The project marks the first time the East Texas tribe has attempted to expand gaming operations beyond its reservation boundaries. Tribal leaders say they are acting under recently revised federal rules from the Biden administration that loosen restrictions on off-reservation gaming projects. The regulations, finalized earlier this year, streamline the process for tribes to apply for federal approval to build casinos on newly acquired land.
Currently, the Alabama-Coushatta operate Naskila Casino on their reservation near Livingston, offering Class II electronic bingo machines that closely resemble slot machines. Expansion off-reservation could pave the way for a full-scale casino resort, potentially reshaping the gambling landscape in Texas…