Nationwide Indian Gaming contributes significantly to tax revenues, purchasing power, expansion development, and job creation in regions hosting Indian casinos. It is a potent catalyst for numerous American Indian Nations, offering them the opportunity to foster substantial economic growth and employment within their communities—a prospect that was virtually nonexistent prior to pivotal legal milestones such as the Supreme Court’s 1987 ruling in California v. Cabazon and the subsequent passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Moreover, aligning with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act’s original intent in 1988, Indian Gaming alleviates tax burden on federal, state, and local taxpayers and governments, by eliminating the need to allocate billions of dollars towards unemployment benefits, income or food subsidies, direct aid to tribal entities, and educational funding. This significant relief can be quantified directly, as evidenced by Indian Gaming’s 516 casino properties substantial contribution of $20.8 billion in direct transfers to Tribal governments for program spending and investments in 2023. For the year, a total of 255 Tribal Governments operated 516 gaming facilities spanning 20.2 million square feet of gaming space across 29 states. These facilities boasted a comprehensive array of amenities, including 389,039 slot machines, 6,876 table games, 1,328 poker tables, 54,473 bingo seats, 54,567 hotel rooms, 1,720 restaurants, 217 entertainment venues, 4,958,340 million square feet of convention space, and 418,445 parking spaces. This collective infrastructure contributed to Indian gaming’s impressive $43.1 billion in gambling revenues and an additional $5.1 billion in ancillary revenues, resulting in a total revenue of $48.2 billion.
Special Note: In the “Indian Gaming Industry State-by-State Economic Impact Numbers for 2023,” although the total number of Tribes operating casinos at the state level is listed as 262, the grand total of Tribes operating 516 casinos in the United States is 255. Certain Tribal Governments, such as the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Quechan Indian Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, and Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, have casino businesses spanning multiple states.
22 INDIAN GAMING - ANNUAL REPORT 2024
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