Tribal Casinos in the US
Native American tribal casinos have become a popular destination for many gamblers. These gaming locations include casinos and bingo halls and they are located on Native American reservations or other areas that are considered to be tribal land. Since these areas do enjoy tribal sovereignty, the states in which they are located have a limited ability to forbid any gambling activities based on the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. There are over 450 tribal casinos in the US and these are owned by more than 240 of the recognized tribes in the country, operating in 28 of the 50 US states.
Facts About American Indian Casinos
In 2016, it was estimated that Indian casino revenue reached a whopping $31.2 billion and there are gaming locations in 28 states. Of these, 24 of them offer Vegas style casinos while only 4 allow Class II casinos, which only offer bingo games and slots. Even though Native American casinos are located on reservations and tribal land, Indian gambling offers more than 600,000 jobs across the nation. In terms of revenue generated, these casinos account for a massive portion of the country's gambling revenue, with 38% of US gambling revenue coming from California and Oklahoma alone. The top five states for revenue from Indian casinos include:
- California - $7 billion
- Oklahoma - $3.77 billion
- Florida - $2.33 billion
- Washington - $2.32 billion
- Arizona - $1.8 billion
Native American gaming establishments pay $9 billion in taxes and sharing payments to the state, local and federal governments.
Indian Gaming History
The first Indian gaming establishment was opened in 1979 in Hollywood, Florida. It was operated by the Seminole Tribe and offered a high stakes bingo hall. The state of Florida did try to shut the location down, which lead to many court battles and a final decision from the US Supreme Court in 1981 to allow the bingo hall to be operated. In 1987, the Supreme Court ruled that recognized tribes could operate casino businesses outside of any stat jurisdiction due to being sovereign entities. In 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed, and this established the rules for Indian gaming.
With laws in place and protection from local and federal laws, Indian casinos started to become more popular, leading to the hundreds that are operating today, offering people an amazing way to enjoy a Vegas-style of gambling.
Largest Tribal Casinos in the US
Since the passing of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, many Indian casinos have started to appear across the country. Now, many of these are considered to be the largest in the US, and they generate amazing amounts of revenue. Some of the top rates casinos that are operated on Native American reservations or land include Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mohegan Sun, San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino, Riverwind Casino, Choctaw Casino Resort, Seminole Hard Rock Casino, Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort and the Pechanga Resort and Casino.
For many years, Native American casinos were believed to only offer slots and some bingo games. Over the years, these casinos have grown and expanded and the Indian gaming sites that are now available offer so much more. They have complete gaming floors that are home to card and table games and even offer resorts that include water parks, spas, golf courses and more, all of which can present an amazing experience for an entire family.