The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) reported a record-breaking $43.9bn in GGR from tribal gaming operations across the US in fiscal year 2024, marking a $2bn increase from the prior period.
This 4.6% growth underscores the enduring strength and adaptability of tribal gaming operations across the US.
The report aggregates audited financial data from 532 gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognised tribes across 29 states.
These operations span both Class II and Class III gaming, and each tribe is required to submit comprehensive financial statements annually.
NIGC vice chair Jeannie Hovland said: “These revenue numbers demonstrate the positive impacts of tribal gaming and the essential role it plays supporting tribal sovereignty, job growth, infrastructure, education, and important social, health, and welfare programmes in tribal communities — just to name a few.”
All eight of NIGC’s administrative regions reported positive year-over-year growth. The most significant gains were recorded in the Oklahoma City and Washington DC regions, with increases of 12.7% and 11.2%, respectively.
The Sacramento region remains the largest contributor, posting $12.1bn in revenue across 87 operations. It was followed by the DC region with $10.2bn and the St. Paul region with $5.2bn.
Smaller regions such as Rapid City also demonstrated notable growth, despite lower total revenue. It saw a 4.2% increase year-over-year, reaching $443.9m across 44 operations.
Tulsa and Phoenix, although stable, reported more modest gains, with increases of just 0.1% and 1.9%, respectively.
Small operations with big rewards
While approximately 54% of tribal gaming operations reported less than $25m in annual revenue, contributing just 5% to the overall GGR, only 9% of operations earned more than $250m, yet this group accounted for 55% of the total revenue.
This imbalance illustrates the varying scale of tribal enterprises and the economic weight carried by a relatively small group of large-scale operations.
The upward trajectory in tribal gaming revenue reflects a broader paradigm of tribal economic development.
The resilience of the industry was tested during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 2020 showing a rare decline in revenue due to widespread closures. Since then, the sector has recovered robustly, with each year setting new revenue records.
NIGC attributes this performance to sound regulatory frameworks, strategic development by tribal governments, and collaborative oversight.
The Commission emphasised its continued commitment to safeguarding the integrity of tribal gaming through rigorous compliance, training, and enforcement activities under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
