Warnings of tough recovery for Southwestern tribal casinos

Southwestern rural tribal casinos face a difficult recovery from the pandemic due to their dependence on tourism.

US.- Economists have warned that rural tribal casinos in the US Southwest may struggle to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Joseph Kalt, an economist who specialises in American Indian economic development, fears tribal casinos in the Southwest are most at risk due to their often rural locations and dependance on tourism.

Speaking to Casino.org, he said that their recovery depends on the recovery of the whole region.

Miriam Jorgensen, research director for the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona, agreed, telling Casino.org: “Many [tribal casinos] are hospitality-based and as long as both restrictions on and preferences against travel and gatherings persist, tribal economies will struggle.”

Tribal casinos in the US closed at the height of the pandemic, but many reopened despite opposition from states.