According to Alan Meister’s annual “Economic Impact of Tribal Gaming: A First-Ever State-by-State Analysis,” a report commissioned by the American Gaming Association, Oklahoma has the second largest Indian gaming market, after California.
While U.S. Indian gaming accounts for $30 billion, Oklahoma represented $8.7 billion of that total, and supports 66,000 jobs. It also contributes $2.2 billion in taxes and $3.6 billion in wages to employees.
The report was unveiled by AGA last week in Oklahoma City as part of the AGA’s “Get to Know Gaming” campaign that will include all 40 states that have a gaming component.
The AGA’s reports says that tribal gaming is worth close to $100 billion and has created more than 600,000 jobs. It says, “Since the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988, tribal gaming has grown 300-fold from a $121 million segment of the U.S. gaming industry, consisting of small bingo halls and gaming facilities, to a $30 billion-plus segment in 28 states.”
Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive officer of AGA, told the group “Casino gaming is a strong community partner throughout Oklahoma and across the 40 states where our industry operates. As tribal and commercial operators continue to work together, our industry will continue to grow in the years to come.”
According to the National Indian Gaming Commission, there are at least 485 gaming operations in the U.S. and that of the total 565 Indian tribes, 244 operate casinos, in 28 states. The commission says that tribal gaming accounts for 43 percent of all gaming revenue in the U.S.
The AGA advertises itself as the top national trade group for the casino industry, representing the $240 billion gaming industry in the United States, including both commercial and Indian gaming.
