The National Indian Gaming Commission last month issued its annual revenue report for tribal gaming in the U.S. in 2019, and it showed the highest gaming revenue total since Indian gaming commenced in 1988, $34.6 billion, an increase of 2.5 percent over 2018, based on financial reports from 522 gaming enterprises operated by 245 federally recognized tribes. An operation’s GGR is the total amount of money wagered less any amounts paid out as prizes and before deducting operating expenses.
“Heathy 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,” said NIGC Chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer. It’s likely the be the last record for a while, since many tribal casinos remain closed as a result of Covid-19, which has hit Native American communities particularly hard. “It is important to recognize the pandemic’s impact on tribes,” Simermeyer went on to say. “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.”
To obtain a full copy of the report, visit the agency’s website at NIGC.gov.
