Although stereotypes of Native Americans with respect to gambling certainly still exist today, many groups including the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, or CNIGA, are working to dispel those stereotypes and to see that Indian gaming is both promoted and appreciated as an important economic and cultural element to Native Americans. In recent years, these organizations have begun to use the media to bring attention to Indian gaming and the importance of gaming to Native American people.

The Benefits of Media Attention

CNIGA began working in the 1990s to educate everyone from state elected officials to federal representatives and local governments about the importance of Indian gaming and tribal sovereignty. Organizations like CNIGA are using the media to their advantage. The source that has the potential to perpetuate the stereotypes that have been used for years against Native Americans also has the potential to dispel them. These organizations are using media outlets like the internet, television, and newspapers to demonstrate to the American public that Native Americans do in fact still exist. Native Americans also lead modern lives, a fact that is equally important for these organizations to relate.

The primary issue of critical importance to many of these organizations is the issue of tribal government and the recognition of tribal governments as being sovereign. These organizations wish to make the public aware of the fact that the jurisdiction of tribal governments as well as their political rights are equal to states’ authority, and that states cannot automatically dictate laws over tribal governments.

These groups are working to get beyond stereotypes and misconceptions about tribal governments, as well as old history and prejudice. The goal of CNIGA, for example, is to weed out ignorance about Indian culture and gaming and to replace it with a knowledge and appreciation of the industry. Since the media has so saturated the marketplace, it is easy and convenient for these groups to use the media to their advantage by building web sites, filming television ads, and supporting newspaper columns. It is easier for information to be disseminated in this way and thus for education to be more widespread and readily available.