Santa Ysabel tribe launches real-money online bingo in California

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Great Luck LLC, one of the nation’s leading interactive gaming (i-Gaming) companies, and the Iipay Nation in Southern California today announced a groundbreaking licensing agreement that will make browser-based Class II bingo games available to registered legal users in California Anytime & Anywhere.

“Today’s announcement represents the future of gaming,” said Joe Valandra, CEO of Great Luck LLC and member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. “With states like Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware already implementing online gaming, our VPNAPS technology is an anticipated next step for an industry in high demand. This technology will play a critical role in transforming the gaming landscape, bringing a myriad of games, starting with Class II bingo, to a whole new generation of enthusiasts. We look forward to announcing more licensing agreements with more Sovereign Nations in the very near future.”

Pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and its tribal sovereign authority, the Iipay Nation will use Great Luck’s unique VPN Aided Play System (VPNAPS) to legally offer access via web-browser enabled devices to Class II bingo games played on its Indian lands. Users in California will be able to access Class II bingo games through Desert Rose Bingo (www.desertrosebingo.com) from any web browser on any computer, mobile device or tablet.

Starting today, legal California residents can purchase bingo cards in U.S. currency to be eligible to win cash prizes. Bingo cards will be sold in denominations of $0.01, $0.05, $0.25, $0.50, and $1.00. All bingo operations and play are under the management of the Iipay Nation through Santa Ysabel Interactive, the Nation’s economic development entity, and under the strict regulation of the Santa Ysabel Tribal Gaming Commission. The Iipay Nation is the owner and operator of Desert Rose Bingo.

This new licensing venture has created the nation’s first web browser-based i-Gaming platform. The Great Luck/Iipay Nation agreement allows registered users to engage a “proxy” to play Class II bingo games under the sovereign jurisdiction of federally recognized Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel. After the completion of a comprehensive registration and approval process, real time live bingo game action is played by a “proxy” of the web-browser enabled device user who has accessed the tribe’s Class II bingo gaming system. At no time is live bingo game action performed by the user. This ensures that all game play takes place on Tribal lands, under the jurisdiction of the Tribal government and is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

“The Iipay Nation is excited to be the first Tribal government in America to deploy Great Luck’s VPNAPS technology,” said David Chelette, President of Santa Ysabel Interactive, the Tribal economic development entity operating the venture. “As the owner-operator, this licensing agreement not only underscores the sovereignty of Santa Ysabel to offer Class II bingo, it also represents the use of innovative technology to reach users. The Desert Rose Bingo enterprise will offer this small rural community and the Iipay Nation a positive economic impact.”

Today’s announcement comes as federal lawmakers introduced legislation earlier this year that severely undermines the rights of Indian Tribes under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). If their bills were to become law, Tribal jurisdiction over Class II games, like bingo, could be severely compromised.

Desert Rose Bingo is licensed and operated by Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel through Santa Ysabel Interactive, an economic development entity of the Tribe. At launch registered users are limited to California residents over the age of 18 only.