According to Casino City’s Indian Gaming Report, released March 3, California ranked first and Arizona ranked fifth among the top five states with tribal casino revenue in 2014. These five states accounted for 61.7 percent of U.S. tribal gaming revenue, which, at $28.9 billion, was an “all-time high,” the report said. Gaming revenue was defined as the total amount wagered, minus any payouts or prizes, in the report. California had $7.31 billion, or 25.4 percent of the national total; Oklahoma had $3.95 billion, or 13.7 percent; Florida had $2.38 billion, or 8.2 percent; Washington had $2.34 billion, or 8.1 percent; and Arizona had$1.82 billion, 6.3 percent.
The report indicated Indian gaming nationwide experienced “modest growth” of 2 percent from 2013 to 2014, due to an “improvement of U.S. and state economies” as well as growth in both the national GDP and per capita personal income.
The report showed Arizona experienced the fourth straight year of increased revenue in 2014, growing 0.6 percent, or $11 million, from 2013. “Arizona has experienced somewhat slower growth in recent years,” said Alan Meister, the report’s author principal economist at Nathan Associates. He said Arizona’s slower growth partly was due to the economy and partly to the state’s gaming machine limits which create an “artificial restriction” on growth, Meister noted.
Meanwhile, he said, many Arizona casinos recently have expanded their non-gaming amenities. “The non-gaming side is an important trend going on,” Meister said. Adding resort amenities is a way to attract a younger audience that expects more personal interaction, he noted.
Arizona Department of Gaming spokeswoman Amanda Jacinto said improved business at the state’s casinos “showcases the economy for the entire state.” She added in recent years Indian gaming has benefited from increased funding; as a result the office is “very optimistic” about the future of gaming in Arizona.
Due to the success of the industry, six Arizona casinos have been able to complete renovations and expansions in 2014 and 2015, the report said, including non-gambling amenities like restaurants and spas. The premier example was the opening of the Tohono O’odham Nation’s controversial Desert Diamond Casino in Glendale. Meister said he believes the project “will be able to spur growth even though it is a developing property.”
The report noted other upcoming projects include the Navajo Nation’s casino near the Grand Canyon, and the Yavapai-Prescott Indian tribe’s plans to combine its Bucky’s and Yavapai Casino into a single new facility.
