Welcome To Nebraska's First and Biggest Casino

Located in the beautiful Northeast Nebraska by the Missouri River Scenic Highway 12 five miles east of Niobrara.

The Ohiya Casino & Bingo was developed by the Santee Sioux Nation in 1995 for the expressed purpose of creating employment for reservation community tribal members.   On February 2, 1996, the Ohiya Casino opened for business, with 29 gaming machines and eight tribal member employees. Complex tribal/state gaming litigation would ensure from the tribe, the State of Nebraska, and the United States Goverment regarding the Santee Sioux Nation's sovereign right to operate its gaming business, on its own land.  This litigation would continue for nine years and involve fines levied against the Santee Sioux (for not closing the Ohiya), the federal garnishment of tribal accounts, and federal liens on tribal lands (not in trust).  In essence, an economic shut-down fo the Santee Sioux Reservation was in effect (until the Ohiya Casino was closed).  This action was directed by the United Sates Government, the Department of Justice.  When the Santee Sioux Naton won its court cases at the Federal District and Eighth Circuit Court levels, the U.S. Goverment appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court (who declined to hear the case).  The Santee Sioux Nation was victorious!  It took nearly a ten-year legal battle to bring employment to the people. In 1996, the casino was formerly located on the Southwest side of the Santee Village on main street.  In November 2001, the casino relocated to the Tribe's former B-D facility on Highway 12 to begin expanding class II gaming.  The facility was remodeled and continues with improvements and enhancements.  A 24 hour fuel plaza was constructed next to the casino in October 2002.  In 2006, the Ohiya Casino started offering a variety of 190 Class II games, along with a 100 seat bingo hall, a restaurant that serves up to 75 guest and a small gift shop with Native American handmade gifts.  The business operation employs 30 individuals, the majority being tribal members.  Feasibility studies will determine if a hotel/lodge should be the next major enhancement project.

Employment should never be taken for granted at the Ohiya Casino & Bingo.  The entire Santee Sioux nation sacrificed and experienced many hardships for employees to work and earn a living for their families.   Many Tribes nation wide and tribal members believe the Santee Sioux Nation is the "Tribe with the Warrior Spirit, where tribal sovereignty is non-negotiable."