Fort Mojave Indian Tribe Completes New 25-Year Gaming Compact with California

The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe has finalized a fresh Class III gaming compact with the state of California that runs for 25 years and permits up to two casinos containing as many as 1,200 slot machines plus other Las Vegas-style table games on eligible trust land inside San Bernardino County. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the agreement on July 21, 2026, marking the tribe's first updated compact in more than ten years. The document contains no specific casino sites, development schedules, environmental filings, or construction timelines, and it eliminates the revenue-sharing payments that appeared in earlier deals. Instead the new compact substitutes regulatory cost reimbursements along with a modest local mitigation contribution triggered only when device counts exceed 350. Observers note that these structural changes shift the financial relationship between the tribe and the state while still preserving state oversight of gaming operations.

Key Provisions in the Updated Agreement

The compact authorizes Class III gaming activities that include slot machines, blackjack, roulette, and other house-banked games commonly found in commercial casinos. Limits remain fixed at 1,200 total gaming devices across the two permitted facilities, and all activity must occur on lands already held in federal trust for the tribe within San Bernardino County. Because the agreement lists no particular parcels or project footprints, any future development will still require separate environmental reviews and local approvals before ground can be broken.

Payment terms represent the clearest departure from previous compacts. Earlier arrangements required the tribe to share a percentage of gaming revenue with the state; the 2026 version removes that obligation entirely. In its place the tribe will reimburse the state for actual regulatory expenses incurred by the California Gambling Control Commission and related agencies. An additional contribution to nearby local governments becomes due only if the total number of gaming devices surpasses 350 at either location.

Background and Timeline

The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe last negotiated a Class III compact with California more than a decade ago. Since that time the tribe has operated under the terms of the older agreement while other California tribes have secured updated deals containing different revenue and regulatory structures. Negotiations for the new compact reportedly spanned several months and concluded with the July 21, 2026, signature by Governor Newsom. The absence of site-specific language inside the document means the tribe retains flexibility to identify suitable trust land parcels before moving forward with any physical project.

Regulatory and Local Impact Considerations

Under the compact the tribe assumes responsibility for funding its share of state regulatory oversight through direct reimbursements rather than revenue sharing. This model aligns with certain other tribal-state agreements in the western United States that emphasize cost recovery over profit splits. Local governments in San Bernardino County stand to receive mitigation payments once device thresholds are crossed, yet the compact provides no fixed dollar amounts or formulas at this stage. Any actual casino project would also trigger separate environmental impact studies under both federal and state law before permits could be issued.

Because the agreement sets no construction deadlines, observers expect the tribe to conduct additional market and feasibility studies before selecting specific sites. The compact's 25-year duration supplies long-term certainty for planning purposes while leaving room for future amendments if both parties agree.

Conclusion

The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe's 25-year Class III gaming compact, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 21, 2026, authorizes up to two casinos and 1,200 slot machines on San Bernardino County trust land while replacing revenue sharing with regulatory reimbursements and conditional local mitigation contributions. The document contains no project sites or timelines, leaving development decisions for subsequent phases. According to 500 Nations reporting and coverage in the New York Post, the compact marks the tribe's first updated agreement in over ten years and reflects evolving state-tribal gaming relationships in California.