GRA Update - Exclusion Review Process
The Gaming Regulatory Authority (GRA) wants to keep Band members informed of their rights. If you are excluded from Mille Lacs Band Gaming Enterprises, you have the right for your exclusion to be reviewed annually. To have your exclusion file reviewed, you must submit a written request to the GRA. You may contact Licensing Investigations Director Rachelle Perkes at 320-532-8129 for help with the process or use the “Request for GRA Board Review” form on the Mille Lacs Band/ GRA website: https://millelacsband.com/home/indian-gaming-regulation. Once the form is completed in full and returned to our office, your exclusion file along with your request will be presented to the GRA Board during a regular board meeting. You will receive notice of date, time, and location to attend this meeting and provide testimony.
Temporary Suspension of Exclusion Process
Exclusion shall never prohibit eligible voters of the Band from entering non-gaming floor areas of a Gaming Enterprise for the purpose of exercising voting rights or attending tribal, political, or community meetings held in the convention/ meeting areas of the Gaming Enterprise. Nor shall exclusion prevent Band employees from attending mandatory work-related meetings in the convention/meeting areas of the Gaming Enterprise during work hours. The Executive Director of the Office of Gaming Regulation and Compliance (OGR&C) may issue a temporary suspension of exclusion for reasons other than stated above. This means, if you are excluded and wish to be on property for an event, an emergency placement, or other critical need, you may ask for your exclusion to be temporarily lifted for a matter of hours or sometimes days. Reminder: this process also applies to Government Center departments hoping to emergency house excluded Band members for any length of time. Requests need to be in writing to the Executive Director, tkozumplik@mlbgra. com, and include name, date of birth, reason for request, location, date, and time frame you wish to be on any property of the Gaming Enterprises.
The Executive Director will forward the request for temporary suspension to the Corporate Commissioner and the General Manager(s) of the Gaming Enterprise(s), at which time, Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures and/or the Gaming Enterprise may comment, in writing, on the request for temporary suspension. The Executive Director will make a recommendation either temporarily lifting the exclusion or denying the request by Compliance Recommendation. If the Executive Director makes a Recommendation in favor of the request for temporary suspension of exclusion, the temporary suspension of exclusion will take effect immediately.
For more information on exclusion processes, you may contact Rachelle Perkes (320-532-8129) or Krista Tretter (320-532- 8135).
More information and contact numbers can be found at https://millelacsband.com/home/indian-gaming-regulation. You can also LIKE us on Facebook at Mille Lacs Band GRA. GRA Board meetings are open to the public. This month’s meetings are at 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 2 , and Thursday, February 16, via Microsoft Teams.
The Mille Lacs Band Gaming Regulatory Authority (GRA) is an independent regulatory agency of tribal government established to separate the government’s regulatory function from the management function of the Gaming Enterprises. You can also LIKE us on Facebook at Mille Lacs Band GRA. GRA Board meetings are open to the public. If you have any questions, please call 320-532-8196 or email jtretter@mlbgra.com
