Members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, which received federal recognition in late 2025, overwhelmingly rejected a proposed plan for a casino on its lands in a vote held Tuesday.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act provides a federally recognized tribe with a legal path to build and operate a casino. The Lumbee Tribe moved quickly to put a casino up to an internal vote.
According to The Assembly NC, more than 60% of the roughly 9,000 tribal members who cast ballots voted against a proposed amendment to their tribal constitution. The failed vote doesn’t mean a casino can’t be pursued again, potentially under different tribal leadership.
Reasons for the Lumbee Failed Casino Vote
According to a Facebook thread that announced the defeat of the casino plan, tribal members hold various views on the complex issue.
Some were opposed to a perceived lack of transparency around the casino project. Others apparently voted no on tribal constitutional grounds, while some morally opposed casino gambling.
Elders of the nondenominational church CrossWay of Pembroke, where the tribe is based, issued a lengthy statement against what they described as the “predatory” business of casino gambling.
What Religious Leaders Said About Proposed Lumbee Casino
Excerpts of the statement are below:
“It’s expected that tribes like ours would pursue a casino as the quickest path and best return for economic gain. But what if we purposed to choose a different path?
“We do not question the sincerity or motives of those who support a casino. It is easy to understand the desire for economic opportunity, tribal advancement, and greater financial security, as well as other aid for families and future generations. Those desires are not wrong in themselves. Yet as followers of Christ, we must ask a deeper question: What should we do when something that appears financially beneficial conflicts with the way God has called us to trust Him, love our neighbor, and glorify His name?”
[…]
“A casino economy functions by encouraging people to risk money in hopes of gain within a system mathematically designed for most participants to lose over time. It is also well documented that a substantial percentage of gambling revenue comes from individuals struggling with addictive or compulsive behaviors. The financial, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social consequences connected to gambling are difficult to ignore.”
[…]
“To say it plainly: Faithful Christians may differ on matters of conscience regarding personal gambling itself. But this vote is not about your private participation. It is about whether we should intentionally establish and promote a system that may be harmful to the well-being of others for our own benefit. It seems that we are using a predatory system to exploit our neighbor, and does not reflect the kind of love Christ commands us to show.”
What’s Next
According to The Assembly NC report, Tribal Chairman John Lowery, who pushed for the casino, pledged not to pursue the project for the remainder of his chairmanship tenure, which is 18 months.
In anticipation of a casino, the tribe bought 241 acres of land along Interstate 95 in southern Robeson County. It will apparently sit unused pending another attempt at approving a constitutional amendment for a casino.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina’s only other federally recognized tribe, operates two casinos in the western corner of the state.
North Carolina also has legal online sports gambling apps.