Two California Tribes sue card rooms in the state over “house-banked” games. The Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians announced Friday that they have filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court against several cardrooms located in Southern California.

“I would like to make it clear, we are not challenging the right of a business to operate, but rather the non-compliance with California law,” said Bo Mazzetti, Chairman of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians. “If the California Department of Justice and the Gambling Control Commission would have enforced the current laws that exist, we would not have taken this action. We have been trying to work with the state for over 13 years on this issue. Unfortunately, this lack of enforcement gives us no other option but to pursue legal remedies.”

“It is unlawful for cardrooms to operate house-banked and percentage card games,” said Kenneth Kahn, Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “It’s a problem we’ve been addressing for years through the administrative process, all to no avail. We are now forced to challenge this through the courts. We are simply asking that cardrooms comply with the law.”

House-banked and percentage card games (such as blackjack) are games in which the player competes against the house (the cardroom or casino owner), which according to the rules of the games offer the house a slight or more than slight percentage advantage. Read more about California Tribes sue card rooms at the Times of San Diego.