Countywide

Legislation that would establish a seven-member federal commission to regulate gambling on Indian reservations was opposed Tuesday by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

The board acted on the advice of County Sheriff John Duffy, who contended that the bill, by Rep. Morris Udall (D-Ariz.), would make it harder for local law enforcement agencies to regulate bingo games and other forms of gambling on the reservations.

Duffy and other law enforcement officials have sought power from the courts to end or curtail the bingo games but have so far come up short.

Duffy said the bill would legalize bingo and allow the proposed federal commission to grant permission for all forms of gambling on reservations. Five of the seven commission members would be Indians.

State government jurisdiction over the gambling should be sought because it is the best way to prevent organized crime’s “infiltration and domination” of the games, Duffy said.