2019 marks the fourth straight year where tribal casinos earned $30bn or more in revenue.
Tribal-controlled casinos grew in FY19 from 501 to 522 across 29 states. There are 245 federally recognized tribal gaming operators.
“Heathy tribal economies are important to promoting the tribal self-sufficiency envisioned in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,” said NIGC Chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer. “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,”
The Sacramento region, which includes all of California and northern Nevada, was the top earner, generating about $9.7bn, up 4.3%.
Washington DC, whose region extends through Connecticut, New York, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina placed second with approximately $7.4bn.
The Oklahoma City region, which covers more than 70 casinos across western Oklahoma and Texas, earned $2.7bn,, up 7.7% from the prior year. The Tulsa region, which includes eastern Oklahoma and Kansas, wasn’t far behind at $2.5bn.
