NIGC report: 2019 was tribal gaming’s most successful year

Last year saw the highest revenues recorded since the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was enacted in 1988.

US.- The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has published a report on the tribal gaming industry’s revenues for the 2019 financial year.

According to the report, gross gambling revenue from tribal casinos was $34.6bn, a 2.5 per cent increase when compared with figures from 2018.

That makes 2019 the tribal gaming industry’s most successful year since the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was enacted in 1988.

While almost every NIGC region experienced growth, the Oklahoma City region saw the largest year-on-year increase at 7.7 per cent.

Chairman of the NIGC, E. Sequoyah Simermeyer, said: “Healthy tribal economies are important to promoting the tribal self-sufficiency envisioned in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

“The growth reflected in the 2019 gaming revenue demonstrates the strength of tribal economies in recent years. The Indian gaming industry is a vital component to many tribal economies across the country.”

Despite positive results throughout 2019, the current year has seen tribal casinos impacted after venues closed temporarily during lockdown measures. Some venues remain closed or with reduced capacity policies in place.

Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut announced last week that it would temporarily reduce operations and furlough up to 100 workers due to low customer demand as a result of the pandemic.

Simermeyer said: “it is important to recognise the Pandemic’s impact on Tribes.

“Tribes’ dedication to a safe and sustainable Indian gaming industry is demonstrated in the preventative measures tribes continue to take during the challenging economic times brought on by the Pandemic.

“This same dedication has fostered a successful and responsibly regulated Indian gaming industry over several decades.”