Koi Nation’s Windsor Casino Faces Opposition

By John Isaac,
Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac is an editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He writes expert articles on card games like blackjack and poker. In addition, he is also well aware of the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets. You can rely on verified information and insightful details.

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Last updated: June 9, 2025

The Koi Nation of Northern California continues to face opposition to its Windsor casino project. Although it got approval from the Department of the Interior, many of the state’s other tribes oppose it. Read on to learn more about the situation and how the parties attempt to overturn this decision.

Koi Nation’s Project

The Koi Nation is a small tribe composed of 100 members, and it plans to build a casino worth $600 million near Windsor, Sonoma County. The Shiloh Resort and Casino would have 400 rooms, 50,000 square feet of gaming space, and more than 2,000 slot machines. However, they would need approval to turn the land into a trust, as it’s outside their designated reservation.

Their land was originally in Lake County, but they eventually moved to Sonoma County since it was unusable. After being forgotten for years, they were federally re-recognized on December 29, 2000. While they purchased the Shiloh land in 2021, the DOI would take until January 13, 2025, to approve their request. The Koi Nation claims their ancestors passed through these lands so they can become restored territory.

Opposing Tribes

Many other Indian tribes in California oppose the approval, with the most outspoken being the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (FIGR). They believe the Koi Nation’s claims to the land are flawed and infringe on their land as the Shiloh casino will be close to the FIGR’s Graton Resort and Casino.

The tribes in opposition also believe this would set a bad precedent. Other tribes could decide to gain approval to build casinos far outside their reservations, which would infringe on the land-into-trust rules. They are attempting to overturn this approval by filing lawsuits against the DOI, with the latest one being submitted in February.

Officials Weigh In

Aside from the tribes, several local politicians have also expressed their disagreement. Like the FIGR, Governor Gavin Newsom has argued against the exception since last year, and his office filed a suit in May. He claims that since the land is outside the Koi Nation’s current lands, it does not fit the conditions for federal tribal gaming approval.

According to officials like Lynda Hopkins and the Windsor town manager Jon Davis, the Koi Nation’s project does not pass the Environmental Impact Assessment. They say the area has previously been devastated by wildfires, making it unsuitable for development, and their suit contains comments from planners and engineers that they claim should have been considered before approval.

Precedent for Rescinding Approval

While the Koi Nation has approval, a recent case shows it can be rescinded. The Scotts Valley Band of Indians, who also have lands in Lake County, had approval to build a casino in Vallejo. However, the DOI rescinded this approval in March and is reviewing the proposal. Other tribes have been denied intervening in the case.

The Scotts Valley tribe’s chairman, Shawn Davis, believes they have sufficient evidence to earn back their approval. Meanwhile, the FIGR hopes this precedent can be used to overturn the decision on the Koi Nation project. They have also donated large amounts to Republican causes, likely to gain more support for their lawsuits.

Conclusion

The Koi Nation still has approval despite the DOI receiving multiple lawsuits. Meanwhile, the Koi Nation is actively arguing for its case, stating that the FIGR focuses exclusively on Class III gaming. Meanwhile, the Koi Nation has Class I and II gaming rights immediately after getting trust approval. We will keep you updated on future developments.