NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION HOSTED 2018 MID-YEAR MEMBER TRIBE MEETING
The National Indian Gaming Association hosted the annual NIGA Mid-year Membership Meeting at the Pechanga Resort & Casino on Wednesday, September 26, 2018. NIGA Chairman Ernie Steven Jr., opened the gathering, welcoming the leadership to the annual meeting. “We are here ready to work, to update our Tribal leadership, continuing to showcase our presence in Washington, D.C., and to stand firm in the protection of tribal sovereignty and our rights throughout the country.” He added, “We are here at the newly expanded Pechanga Resort & Casino, one the most successful tribal gaming properties and a great example of how far tribal gaming has come.” Stevens acknowledged the upcoming milestone of the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA.) He said, “Clearly, IGRA did not come from Indian Country. The Act was a compromise that tried to balance tribal, federal and state government interests. While the Act is far from perfect, Indian Country has made it work for our governments, our communities and our people for over thirty years now. Our celebration wraps around what we did, the product of our thirty years of hard work, despite the (setback) of IGRA. Those elders leaders who fought on behalf of NIGA would be proud of our work, but they would never appreciate the compromise. Nonetheless, we move forward. Stevens cited the most recent tribal gaming numbers including the Indian Gaming national economic output of $103 billion with $35.5 billion in compensation and an employment base of 770,000 jobs, of which, $59 billion of the total economic output is off- reservation, which benefits local, state and federal economies. The Indian gaming industry now comprises 44.3% of the overall Gaming Industry, with commercial casinos at 43.3% and racinos at
12.4%. Stevens added, “We are the largest segment of the overall gaming industry in the United States. It may be by a mere 1%, but our growth year after year and even during the great recession has proven that Indian Gaming can compete, and we are rising to our rightful place in the American economy.” National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Jonodev Chaudhuri, presented the “NIGC Regulatory Update and Tribal Gaming Revenue and Performance For 2018,” Chaudhuri shared with the attendees that the NIGC will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which was enacted by the United States Congress on October 17, 1988, to regulate the conduct of gaming on Tribal Lands. IGRA established the NIGC and the regulatory structure for Indian gaming in the United States in an event at their offices on October 16th. Chaudhuri commended the tribal gaming industry in the path of success since the enactment of IGRA, and he said, “The successes of Indian gaming in the 30 years since IGRA is reflected in the flourishing and constantly growing gaming industry. Further, it is proving that the foundational principals of federal Indian law should remain at the forefront of any future public policy discussion.” With the 2018 elections approaching in November, NIGA conducted the “Indian Country: Getting Out the Vote and Impacting the November Elections,” which was presented by Jesse Fraire, Statewide Census Coordinator and Robin Thundershield, Canvasser and Educators of the California Native Vote Project, which seeks to create historic advancements in Native American voter engagement and registration in California. Their goal is to achieve equity for Native American peoples and increase our communities’ political participation throughout the state by registering thousands of voters for upcoming elections.
10 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - SPRING EDITION 2018
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