COLUMBUS, Minnesota — A federal lawsuit filed by horse track and card operation Running Aces accuses three Minnesota casinos of violating the federal racketeering act and in the process, causing significant damage to the track's business.
The lawsuit names Grand Casino Hinckley and Mille Lacs, Treasure Island Casino, and executives and managers for all three operations as defendants. Attorneys for Running Aces, located in Columbus near Forest Lake, allege that the tribal casinos are only allowed to offer blackjack as spelled out in compacts with the state of Minnesota under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.
Instead, the plaintiff maintains, all three casinos regularly stage other card games that only Running Aces should be allowed to, including Mississippi Stud, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’Em, in direct violation of both Minnesota law and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, best known as RICO.
"By offering class III card games other than blackjack, defendants’ casinos have been able to attract many patrons who would otherwise have played card games at Running Aces, thereby depriving Running Aces of substantial revenue and profits—both from lost card gaming and from lost accompanying spending on food, lodging, and live entertainment," the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare the defendant's offering of non-compact class III card games illegal, seeks unspecified damages from casino executives and managers, and an injunction preventing the defendants from illegally offering games not allowed by existing compacts in the future.
Running Aces filed the lawsuit as the track operation and Minnesota's other racetrack, Canterbury Park, rail against the current sports gambling bill making its way through the state legislature. Representatives from both tracks say the legislation, sponsored by Coon Rapids Democrat Zack Stephenson, would bar stadium-style card play in racetrack card rooms and outlaw new betting machines, giving tribal casinos a distinct advantage.
A spokesperson for Treasure Island Resort and Casino said they have not yet been served with a suit and don't have any comment. Grand Casino representatives have not yet returned KARE 11's request for comment.
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