Tribal gaming accounted for more than $105 billion of economic impact in the U.S., according to a research study released Thursday by the American Gaming Association.
The report, produced by Meister Economic Consulting, took a comprehensive look at the state-by-state economic impact of tribal casino gaming in the United States. The AGA said 45 percent of all gaming revenue in the U.S. comes from the tribal casino industry.
Meister Economic Consulting measured the economic and fiscal impacts of Class II and Class III tribal gaming on the U.S. and state economies on behalf of the AGA. The study relies on the tribal gaming data that served as the basis for the 2018 Edition of the Indian Gaming Industry Report, including gaming revenue, non-gaming revenue (food and beverages, lodging, retail and entertainment) and gaming related revenue share payments by tribes to federal, state, and local governments (e.g., regulatory payments and local and state revenue sharing).
“Tribal gaming operators are present in 28 states and create nearly half of all U.S. gaming revenue,” said Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs for the AGA. “This report details the widespread economic impact that tribal casinos have in states across the country, providing diverse career opportunities, supporting local businesses and generating tax revenue and revenue share payments for all levels of government.”
Tribal gaming in California, the largest tribal gaming state by economic activity, jobs and tax payments, added $20 billion to the Golden State’s economy and generated $3.4 billion in taxes and revenue share payments to all levels of state government. Tribal gaming in the Golden State supports nearly 125,000 jobs.
The report indicates that Florida benefited from tribal gaming to the tune of $6.1 billion added to the state economy. Tribal casinos supported nearly 46,000 jobs in the state and generated more than $1.1 billion in state, federal, and local taxes, as well as through revenue share payments.
Oklahoma, the second-largest tribal gaming state, gained $9.6 billion for the state economy and $1.6 billion in taxes and revenue share payments. Tribal gaming in the state has created nearly 75,000 jobs for Oklahomans.
The gaming hub that has developed around the upper Midwest, centered around tribal casinos in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, generated close to $1.5 billion in state, federal and local taxes and revenue share payments.
Tribal gaming data used in the study are for calendar year 2016, the most current year available.
The full report can be viewed and downloaded here.
This is the second consecutive year that Meister Economic Consulting and the American Gaming Association have conducted a comprehensive study of the economic impact of tribal gaming. This data, in conjunction with commercial gaming data released in September from Oxford Economics, allows for a detailed, state-by-state breakdown of gaming’s economic impact.
