The Tribal Gaming Agency (TGA) was established by the Smith River Rancheria Tribal Council as an independent regulatory body to regulate gaming operations on the Smith River Rancheria. The TGA consists of five (5) Commissioners, appointed by the Tribal Council, five (5) full time staff members and a Surveillance Department of eight (8) employees. The Gaming Commissioners meet monthly at regular scheduled meetings.
Pursuant to Section 7 of the Tribal-State Gaming Compact, the TGA is the recognized on-site authority to ensure that Lucky 7 Casino adheres to all regulatory requirements of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), the Tribal-State Compact, and Tribal Gaming Ordinance and regulations.
Four primary ways that the TGA assures integrity and protection of the gaming facility are by the following:
Background Investigations
The TGA conducts background investigations of all gaming employees and some vendors or business entities, who meet a financial threshold of business. All licenses are issued for two (2) years and renewed in two (2) year increments after another investigation has been conducted to determine continued license suitability.
In reviewing an applicant for a gaming license, the TGA reviews prior activities, criminal records, and reputation, habits and associations to make a finding of suitability. A license will not be issued unless TGA is satisfied that the applicant is a person of good character, honest and of good integrity. The TGA is also required to submit applications of ?Key and Primary Employees? to the State Division of Gambling Control and National Indian Gaming Commission for additional finding of suitability.
Game Protection
To ensure the integrity of games, specifically new slot machines installed within the Lucky 7 Casino, the Compliance Officer of the TGA performs a series of tests on each machine. One of the most important tests is verifying that the EPROM chip or program chip meets all tribal technical standards before installation. The EPROM chip is what controls the slot machine and hold critical data. After the chip is installed on the machine logic board and secured with special tamper proof security tape. The logic board housing these chips is locked within a separate compartment inside the slot machine. The only keys to access this compartment are in the sole custody of the TGA. This process ensures the presence of a Compliance Officer any time a logic board is accessed and added protection of the game. Periodic testing is also conducted to assure proper and honest functioning of the game.
Surveillance
A near state of the art Surveillance system is utilized to provide constant video coverage of the Casino and Fuel Mart property. The surveillance monitors all activity and reports and suspicious or illegal activity, and possible medical emergencies to: TGA, Casino management or emergency services, which ever is appropriate.
Internal Controls
The TGA adopted Minimum Tribal Internal Control Standards (TICS) which are standards needed in order to protect the integrity of the games, gaming public, employees as well as protecting the assets of the Tribe. The TICS provide a framework or system of internal controls that prevents collusion, results in extensive documentation and testing of transactions and provides a mechanism to audit and investigate unusual activities. The TGA is also responsible to see that an annual independent audit is conducted of the entire gaming operation.