TRIBAL GAMING IN FOCUS

NIGC: 2024 Tribal Revenue Hit New Record of $43.9 Billion

The National Indian Gaming Commission announced July 31 that U.S. tribal gaming operators generated $43.9 billion in gross gaming revenue for fiscal year 2024, a new record and a 4.6 percent increase over the previous year.

“This year’s GGR reflects not only the resilience of the tribal gaming industry, but also the dedication of tribal leadership in preserving and growing this important economic driver for their communities,” NIGC Acting Chairwoman Sharon Avery said in a statement.

“The continued success of Indian gaming is a testament to the strong tribal governance and the sound regulation that protects the integrity of the industry.”

All eight geographic regions tracked by NIGC showed year-over-year increases in FY24, including the Tulsa region, which was up just 0.1 percent. Both the Washington, D.C. and Oklahoma City regions were up double-digits, posting 11 and 12 percent gains, respectively.

Former Mashpee Leader Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges Amid Tribe’s Casino Expansion

On July 25 the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that Cedric Cromwell, the former chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and president of its gaming operations, pleaded guilty to four counts of filing a false tax return. It is the latest chapter in a winding, multi-year legal saga surrounding the disgraced chairman and his former tribe.

Cromwell failed to report more than $177,000 in income on federal tax returns between 2014 and 2017, authorities said. About two-thirds of that was connected to the tribe’s First Light Resort and Casino project in Taunton, Massachusetts, which is a decade in the making and still ongoing. The other income came from side deals not related to the casino scandal.

Sentencing is set for November 5 before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M Gorton. Cromwell could face up to three years in prison, a year of probation and a $100,000 fine for each charge. But in addition to the tax counts, the 60-year-old Cromwell will also face sentencing for three extortion charges and one charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. Those charges were originally dropped by a lower court in 2022 but were reinstated by the First Circuit Court of Appeals in September 2024.

The extortion charges carry sentences of up to 20 years, three years of probation and a $250,000 fine, per count.

Originally, Cromwell was indicted in November 2020 alongside David DeQuattro, CEO of prominent development firm RGB Architects. Authorities alleged that Cromwell conspired with RGB to be the “owner’s representative” for the casino project and that he received more than $57,000 from DeQuattro between 2014 and 2017 in exchange for a lucrative development contract. This was in addition to about $45,000 of other unreported income from a previous architectural partner who is not named.

According to prosecutors, Cromwell received a home gym and a hotel suite vacation from DeQuattro in addition to the money.

“Instead of working honestly on behalf of the Mashpee Wampanoags as their duly elected representative, Cedric Cromwell is accused of using his position as chairman of the tribe to enrich himself by extorting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes and engaging in a conspiracy with David DeQuattro to commit bribery,” Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division, said at the time.

Both men were convicted of bribery in May 2022, although the trial court severed the tax charges and ruled only on the extortion and bribery charges. However, after appealing to the First Circuit, DeQuattro was ultimately acquitted of all charges in 2024, whereas all of Cromwell’s charges were reinstated.

Now back to work, DeQuattro has emerged as a victim, with Cromwell now pegged as the extorter and ringleader. He will now face his dual sentencing for both sets of charges this fall.

“One of the greatest things that has happened throughout this whole thing is it’s almost like you wear a set of X-ray glasses, where you can see people for who they are,” DeQauttro told GoLocalProv in March. “And I think I did that at a young enough age, where you know who your real friends were.”

As Cromwell’s legal troubles have played out, his former tribe has had no better luck in its quest to develop the casino project without him.

The Mashpee Wampanoags were federally recognized in 2007, and the city of Taunton in 2012 signed an Intergovernmental Agreement with the tribe for a massive casino development that came to be known as First Light. The first phase of the project alone was slated for 3,000 slots and 150 tables.

More than a decade of legal battles ensued after the original agreement, keeping the project at a standstill. Several court rulings during that time flip-flopped on the legality of the project and the original agreement.

A detailed breakdown of these rulings, compiled through mid-2023, is available on PlayMA.com. In 2024, the tribe finally came out victorious in its legal defense of First Light and announced plans to build a temporary “welcome center” in Taunton.

Adding to the complexity of the case is the fact that Genting is funding the casino project and is partnered with the tribe to operate it. That relationship was rocky in previous years due to the project’s legal troubles but seems to have improved. When the temporary welcome center was opened in January, Kevin Jones, chief strategy officer for Genting Americas, was on hand.

He told the Taunton Daily Gazette that the facility was meant to educate the public about the tribe and its future casino plans. It also included a “sampling” of gaming, in the form of 10 slots.

In the months since, the small facility has continued to expand. It has grown from 10 to 50 slots, lengthened its operating hours and obtained an alcohol license. An updated agreement with the city could allow the center to further expand to 250 slots.

The Gazette has also noted the tribe is now directly referring to the center as a “casino” instead of a welcome center, as it did previously. If the tribe does intend for the facility to become a permanent casino, it would still be far below the scope outlined in the original 2012 agreement under Cromwell.

NY Tribal Casino Rolls Out New Expansion

The Oneida Indian Nation’s Point Place Casino in upstate New York rolled out the first phase of a $50 million expansion August 1 and 2, per CNY Central. The expansion includes 400 slots and renovated amenities. More amenities and a new retail store are expected to open by the end of the year.

“Our guests and our team members have made Point Place Casino a really special place to visit, and all of this growth won’t change that,” Turning Stone Enterprises Vice President for Regional Casinos Jerry Marrello said in a statement.

WinStar World Partners with Arlington Grand Prix

The Chickasaw Nation’s WinStar World Casino & Resort has become an official partner of the inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington, set for March 13-15, 2026. The deal includes the WinStar Winners CLub, a fan experience area, as well as other sponsorship opportunities.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to championing extraordinary, immersive entertainment and hospitality experiences while connecting with devoted, passionate fans,” Jack Parkinson, president of WinStar World, said in a statement.