CHAIRMAN’S REPORT ERNEST L. STEVENS, JR. Oneida Nation of Wisconsin
Welcome to San Diego! T his year will mark the 40th Anniversary of the Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention and I am proud to report our Industry has never been stronger. IGA’s Economic Impact Report for FY 2024 anticipates tribal gaming revenues of $43.4 Billion! This is an increase of $1.5 billion over FY2023 gaming revenues. It is clear that IGRA has worked to foster economic self- sufficiency on the Reservation. But IGRA was not designed to be a federal welfare program. Neither the Supreme Court nor Congress through IGRA, invented Indian gaming. Tribal Nations have had games of chance since time immemorial. Most importantly, IGRA did not freeze Indian gaming on the date of its enactment in 1988. The true history of Indian gaming stems from the U.S. Supreme Court decision involving Tribal nations right here in California, as well as the Seminoles in Florida. In California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indian the Supreme Court upheld the inherent sovereign right of Tribal governments to conduct gaming free from state interference. In 1988, states and commercial gaming interests pressed
4 – INDIAN GAMING - ANNUAL REPORT 2025
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