Massive Gaming Revenue by Tribes Surpasses $43.9 Billion in Fiscal Year 2024
In a significant milestone, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) reported a total of $43.9 billion in Gross Gaming Revenues (GGR) from tribal gaming operations in the US during fiscal year 2024. This marked a 4.6% increase over the previous year and a robust recovery from the rare decline in revenue experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The resilience and growth of the industry can be attributed to several key factors. Strong tribal leadership and governance have been instrumental in preserving and growing gaming operations, supporting tribal sovereignty and economic development. Effective regulation by the NIGC ensures the integrity of gaming activities, building trust and sustaining growth across 532 independently audited gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognized tribes in 29 states.
Broad geographical participation is another significant factor. All eight NIGC administrative regions reported revenue gains, with regions such as Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C., showing double-digit growth, indicating widespread expansion rather than localized growth.
Tribal gaming revenues support job growth, infrastructure development, education, health, and welfare programs within tribal communities, making gaming a critical economic driver beyond direct revenue generation. In fact, the industry scale and market maturity are evident in the record GGR.
The report aggregates data from Class II and Class III gaming operations across the US. Approximately 54% of operations reported less than $25m in annual revenue, contributing just 5% to the overall GGR. On the other hand, only 9% of operations earned more than $250m, yet this group accounted for 55% of the total revenue.
The Sacramento region remains the largest contributor, posting $12.1 billion in revenue across 87 operations. The DC region follows with $10.2 billion, and the St. Paul region contributes $5.2 billion. Tulsa and Phoenix reported more modest gains, with increases of 0.1% and 1.9%, respectively, while the Oklahoma City and Washington DC regions showed the most significant gains, with increases of 12.7% and 11.2%, respectively.
NIGC Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland emphasized the importance of tribal gaming, stating that it supports tribal sovereignty, job growth, infrastructure, education, and various social, health, and welfare programs. The Commission reiterated its continued commitment to safeguarding the integrity of tribal gaming through rigorous compliance, training, and enforcement activities under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Since 2020, the sector has shown robust recovery, setting new revenue records each year. The upward trajectory in tribal gaming revenue reflects a broader paradigm of tribal economic development. The GGR represents a $2 billion increase from the previous period, highlighting the industry's significant economic contributions to tribal communities.
- The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) reported that sports-betting and casino gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognized tribes in 29 states earned a total of $43.9 billion in Gross Gaming Revenues (GGR) in 2024, marking a 4.6% increase over the previous year.
- Effective regulation by the NIGC ensures the integrity of gaming activities, building trust and sustaining growth in the gaming and sports-betting industry, while also supporting tribal sovereignty and economic development.
- The sports-betting and gaming industry is a critical economic driver for tribal communities, supporting job growth, infrastructure development, education, health, and welfare programs.
- The Federal gambling industry continues to show robust recovery, with sports-betting and gaming revenues setting new records each year, contributing significantly to the economic development of tribal communities.
