Casino near Charlotte found in violation of federal law

What’s happening: The Catawba Nation, which owns Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, allowed developer Sky Boat to manage, in ways, its facility expansion without a contract approved by the Nation Gaming Commission chair, according to a notice of violation.

• It also did not submit an executed ground lease to the commission within 60 days, which is an NIGC requirement.
• The chair of the NIGC announced the findings of the year-long investigation Wednesday with a press release.

Why it matters: The violation could temporarily shutter Two Kings Casino, which only opened in July 2021, two years after sports betting was legalized in North Carolina.

[See inside: “Pre-launch” of Vegas-style casino opens in July]

Between the lines: According to the notice, such violations threaten the commission’s ability to meet its goals, which include shielding Catawba Nation from “organized crime and other corrupting influences.” The federal agency is responsible for guaranteeing the tribe is the primary beneficiary of the casino and ensuring “fair and honest” gaming conduct.

• Both The Catawba Nation and Sky Boat could face civil penalties of up to $57,527 per day for each violation, according to the release.

Flashback: Last year, the Catawba Nation opened 29,000-square-foot temporary casino with 500 slot machines. It’s a precursor to their opening of a long-awaited Two Kings Casino Resort, a 195,000-square-foot mixed use, Vegas-style development.

• The casino, about 35 miles west of Charlotte, be will be one of a only a few venues in the state with a sports book.

What they’re saying: “We do not take this enforcement action lightly, but do so to preserve the integrity of the industry and protect the valuable tool Indian Gaming represents for many Tribes as codified in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,” commission chair E. Sequoyah Simermeyer said.

[Go deeper: Vegas-style casino in Kings Mountain moves forward]