Tribe councilman files complaint over slot parlor’s use of ‘casino’
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Complaint Filed
A Narragansett Indian tribe councilman files a complaint with the Attorney General against Twin River for its prominent use of the wordPublished: August 31, 2009
Updated: August 31, 2009
CRANSTON, R.I.—A Narragansett Indian tribe councilman filed a consumer complaint on Monday with the Attorney General against Twin River for its prominent use of the word “casino” in print and electronic ads.
Randy Noka is requesting an investigation of UTGR Inc., the company that owns the Lincoln slot parlor, for “untrue and misleading representations” to the public of the slot parlor’s print and electronic commercial ads, copyright statement and logo.
In a statement, Noka said that state officials have turned a blind eye to enforcing the law by allowing Twin River to publicly call itself a casino.
“As well all know, Rhode Island law does not allow a casino unless strict conditions are met and the people of Rhode Island vote to approve it. How can it be that state officials allow Twin River’s disrespect for the law to go unchallenged?“ Noka said in a statement.
According to a Twin River spokeswoman, “there is a distinction between using the word “casino” in marketing purposes versus how the term is uses legally. Twin River knows and understands that it is not a full blown casino with respect to the offering of table games.
“But it is a marketing positioning term that is used by many jurisdictions throughout the country that have the same level of offerings as Twin River. We are certainly free in our advertising and marketing to define Twin River as we wish.“
The attorney general’s office released a statement saying that it had not reviewed Noka’s complaint, but that it would be processed. The statement also said Twin River’s pending bankruptcy case may affect the review of the complaint because of a federal court order staying any civil case against the slot parlor.
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Reader Reactions
RedSox8185…How much are we collecting from Twin River now?
I don’t know the answer but I bet the % is higher but the $ figure is lower.
I went to school with Randy Noka and his clan, not much has changed, if nothing at all.
OMG! Babs…. that was awesome!!!
To Matty:
Don’t forget the useless bunch of morons that call themselves the General Assembly.
The senate President Paiva-weed cant even listen to discussion on the casino issue, she has a conflict.
Paiva-Weed should be kicked to the curb immediately she can’t represent RI residents appropriately.
A lawsuit over semantics—a name. What a waste of time—and taxpayer money!
I’d like to thank the 67% of RI morons who voted against a West Warwick casino. As a Massachusetts resident, I visit Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun 2-3 times a week. I play table games. Had you approved a West Warwick casino, myself and thousands of other Massachusetts residents would likely have visited there much more than we drive through your state to Connecticut. But instead, you decided to keep that pathetic little slot parlor at Twin River. Of course, since my fellow residents and I spend $1 billion a year at the CT casinos, a lot of that money would have gone to RI instead. But alas, that imbecilic governor of yours and your biz community helped Twin River execs kill a West Warwick casino. And since I have visited Twin River once in eight years, like my Massachusetts brethren, we much prefer a world-class casino over that little slot parlor dump that you have in Lincoln. Thanks again, morons. Because pretty soon we’re going to have casinos in Massachusetts—- with at least one in SEMass and probably slot machines at the SEMass racetracks in Plainville and Raynham. And when that happens, your state budget deficit is going to go through the roof as Bay Staters who do visit Twin River will quickly begin visiting the MA casinos and racetracks slots. Get ready for a tax hike in RI, courtesy of Gov. Carcieri. Good job, Gov. Carcieri, you really stuck the fork in Rhode Island. And how’s it going with a bankrupt Twin River, governor?
Also, freak, the casino they proposed to build in WW would have given a lower percentage of their profit to RI as Twin River and Newport do. This in turn would lessen the amount of revenue RI gets from casinos since the full blown casino they proposed would have significantly lowered the state run casinos’ profit. If the Indian run casino offered to pay the state the same amount as Twin River and Newport, then maybe it would have been a good idea…
Freak sno was just correcting you on a point you made. Why are you being rude to her. It was in the news less then a week ago that Foxwoods is having problems. Guess what I am from West Warwick but could care less if they put a casino here or not.
What are his thoughts on clams casino?
I always wondered why Twin River was referred to as a “casino”, when in fact a “casino” was voted down by Rhode Island voters. Then, of course, Rhode Island does what it wants to do, never mind about the citizens who live in this lousy state. Why do the voters put up with it??????
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