Published on: June 2, 2026, 05:18h.
Updated on: June 2, 2026, 05:18h.
- US alters stance on UKB claims within Cherokee Reservation
- Ruling undermines foundation for anticipated Tahlequah casino venture
- Cherokee Nation welcomes decision as UKB pledges legal challenge
The US Department of the Interior has overturned a prior ruling from the Biden administration that acknowledged the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) as a contemporary successor to the historic Cherokee Nation.
This reversal jeopardizes the tribe’s longstanding goal of establishing a casino in Tahlequah.
The Biden administration’s opinion, referred to as M-37084, contested the claim of the modern Cherokee Nation—one of the largest tribal gaming markets in the US—that it retains exclusive authority over Cherokee territories in Oklahoma.
Sovereignty Conflict
Although both tribes share roots in the historic Cherokee population and have bases in Tahlequah, they have a tumultuous history regarding claims to territorial sovereignty. The Cherokee Nation manages 10 casinos across Oklahoma, whereas the UKB operates none, facing repeated challenges from the Nation concerning any attempts to enter the gaming industry.
As gaming operations must occur on tribal lands that a tribe governs, the recent legal opinion issued on May 22 notably diminishes the legal foundation for a UKB casino on the reservation.
“After reviewing M-37084, I concluded that the legal interpretations outlined within do not reflect the most accurate understanding of relevant laws, treaties, and federal and Supreme Court rulings. Consequently, I am permanently withdrawing M-37084 in its entirety,” stated William L. Doffermyre, Solicitor of the US Department of the Interior.
In a statement released on Saturday, the UKB criticized the reversal as a “profoundly flawed decision” that is “entirely disconnected from the historical and legal records confirming the United Keetoowah Band’s treaty-based rights.”
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. remarked: “Despite the United Keetoowah Band’s persistent attempts to alter historical facts and assert claims to our Reservation, the truth of our history and the rule of law will always prevail.”
UKB’s Ongoing Battle
The UKB, which has held federal recognition since 1946, established a bingo hall in Tahlequah in 1986, notwithstanding the absence of trust land. The establishment operated for several years until it was closed in 2013 due to a lawsuit from the Cherokee Nation and pressures from both state and federal authorities.
In 2011, the tide began to shift for the UKB when the DOI permitted a 76-acre tract of land to be transferred into trust for the tribe. Although the Nation contested this action in court, it was ultimately upheld by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2019.
Initially, with the Biden administration’s decision on January 17, 2025, hopes flourished for the UKB, leading to the tribe signing a gaming compact with the state in May that same year.
While this reversal does not necessarily extinguish the UKB’s aspirations for a casino, it does pose significant legal hurdles to maintaining those ambitions.
“As has been the case for far too long, our ultimate validation will depend on judicial review, which will inherently encompass the original [opinion] and its unfounded withdrawal,” said the tribe in its official statement.