By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Staff
A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has been selected to a position in an organization that is at the forefront of Indian Gaming. Ericka Panther was chosen recently as a new compliance officer for the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) for the Washington, D.C. region.
Ericka Panther, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was chosen recently as a new compliance officer for the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) for the Washington, D.C. region.
“Not only do I feel it will be a rewarding journey, but this position will give me the opportunity to support the purpose of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, by promoting tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and building strong tribal governments through gaming,” said Panther.
NIGC officials said of Panther, “Her understanding of Indian Gaming and operational processes with focus on surveillance will benefit the region and Indian Country.”
Panther hopes to accomplish much in her new job. “Through my position as a compliance officer with the NIGC, I hope to benefit tribes by becoming knowledgeable about the unique issues that impact each tribe. My goal is to be a reliable source of assistance for any challenges that a tribe may encounter and aid in providing effective solutions, to ensure the continued success of each facility, while upholding the integrity of Indian gaming. I look forward to building a good rapport with tribal contacts, as well the members of the NIGC team.”
She started in the gaming industry 11 years ago as a gaming host at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. “I quickly achieved the Level 3 Gaming Host status and realized that I sought to pursue a career within gaming.”
Panther added, “I chose to continue my education and obtained a bachelor’s of science degree in criminal justice & criminology from East Tennessee State University in December 2017, which contributed to my desire to further my education within the legal field. I later returned to Harrah’s as a surveillance officer in 2018, where I demonstrated my ability to ensure compliance and my understanding of Internal Control Procedures, as well as essential Casino processes to achieve the Proficient Officer status. As a surveillance officer, I chose to further my education in pursuit of better opportunities. I discovered my passion to initiate change and strengthen tribal sovereignty in Indian country through the completion of the master of legal studies in Indigenous Peoples Law program from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, which also provided me with insight to issues impacting Indian country, as well as a knowledgeable foundation highlighting proper processes to address and rectify these issues in a beneficial manner.”
She is very grateful for the support she’s received and noted, “First off, I would like to thank the community for the overwhelming support to the announcement of my appointment to the NIGC. I am especially thankful for my father, Rich Panther, step-mother, Kathie McCoy, and sister, Tiff Panther, for always encouraging persistence through obstacles I have faced and providing beneficial advice for successfully completing and pursing the goals I have set for myself. Also, I would like to thank my best friend, Angelita Gomez, for her positivity and support throughout the lengthy hiring process. Last, I would like to thank the Harrah’s Cherokee Surveillance team and prior co-workers for their encouragement and support of my endeavors.”
Information from NIGC states its purpose as follows, “The National Indian Gaming Commission was created in 1998 with the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which was enacted to support and promote tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments through the operation of gaming on Indian lands. The Act provides a statutory basis for the federal regulation of Indian Gaming. IGRA establishes the Commission to regulate and support tribal gaming as a means of generating revenue for tribal communities.”
