Tribal online bingo in California?

An interesting licensing agreement between interactive gaming firm Great Luck LLC and the lipay Nation in Southern California was announced today (Monday) that will see browser-based Class II bingo games made available to registered users in California.

Great Luck LLC’s chief executive officer Joe Valandra, who is a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, said “With states like Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware already implementing online gaming, our VPNAPS technology is an anticipated next step for an industry in high demand.
“This technology will play a critical role in transforming the gaming landscape, bringing a myriad of games, starting with Class II bingo, to a whole new generation of enthusiasts.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the lipay Nation will use Great Luck’s VPN Aided Play System (VPNAPS) to offer access via web-browser enabled devices to Class II bingo games “played on its Indian lands”. Customers will access the games through Desert Rose Bingo.com across pc, mobile and tablet devices.

Bingo cards sold in U.S. currency will offer denominations of $0.01, $0.05, $0.25, $0.50, and $1.00 for real-money play and real-money prizes.

Desert Rose Bingo.com will be managed by the lipay Nation through Santa Ysabel Interactive, the Nation’s economic development entity, and under the regulation of the Santa Ysabel Tribal Gaming Commission.

“The Iipay Nation is excited to be the first Tribal government in America to deploy Great Luck’s VPNAPS technology,” said David Chelette, President of Santa Ysabel Interactive, the Tribal economic development entity operating the venture. “As the owner-operator, this licensing agreement not only underscores the sovereignty of Santa Ysabel to offer Class II bingo, it also represents the use of innovative technology to reach users. The Desert Rose Bingo enterprise will offer this small rural community and the Iipay Nation a positive economic impact.”

It will be interesting to watch Desert Rose Bingo’s progress and the reaction of its launch from a legal and regulatory perspective.