IIpay Nation vows to fight on

Following the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California’s granting of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel’s online bingo offer Desert Rose Bingo earlier this week, the group said in a statement that it vows to fight on for the right to offer what it still classifies as Class II bingo games.

In a press statement, Cruz Bustamante for Santa Ysabel Interactive expressed his disappointment at the federal court decision saying:

“If the State ultimately prevails on these important tribal sovereignty issues, the ultimate losers will be small, economically disenfranchised tribes in California and throughout the country.

“We remain hopeful that as the case progresses the court will make every effort to understand the game and its technology, ultimately realizing that the games being offered are by definition legal Class II games.”

But Federal Court Judge Battaglia disagrees, saying in his judgement “…. the internet gaming provided here is class III,” (see previous report).