Have Reservation Casinos Helped Native Americans?

At the start of the second half of the 20^th century, the gambling industry in the US was almost totally confined to Atlantic City and Las Vegas. In the 1970s, many Native American tribes took action and initiated various gambling enterprises on reservations. By doing so, they began a three-way legal struggle between the state’s government, the federal one, and that of the tribes. However, at the time this was seen as a necessary move to bring life into the dying Native American Economy.

It’s no secret that casinos bring in big revenues, and what started as a controversial first-step for Native Americans has now grown into a $28 billion industry. Today, digital platforms are creating a revolution of their own, with new casino sites like NoviCasino leading the charge.

These digital platforms offer multiple benefits that make them far more alluring than their land-based counterparts. Free spins, bonus rounds, progressive jackpots, tournaments, and VIP programs that let you do some gambling for free. They have the common gambler asking himself why should he walk to a casino again when he can get all this on his phone.

However, have tribal sovereignty, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1998, and the hundreds of casinos that have opened on Indian land benefited tremendously the people that live on it?

Before Casinos

In the decades before they were introduced on Native land, tribes struggled to find new investment capital, or locate potential commercial ventures. Companies and people with deep pockets were naturally wary of investing in legally untested waters that were protected with unfamiliar laws.

The main source of capital for any project used to be grants given out by the federal government. But these weren’t subjected to market demand, rather to trends and political whims, and as such didn’t often make sense and were frequently underutilized.

After Casinos

A few years ago, the number of gaming operations on tribal land numbered over 500. Due to these revenues, tribal resources have seen a dramatic spike. New scholarships have been developed and reinvestments into Indian-owned businesses have taken place.

Research also shows that because of casino operations, there has been a sharp increase in employment, and a decrease in obesity, drinking, and smoking. The income per capita for American Indians living on reservations has seen an increase of over 50% since 1990.

The Future of Native American Casinos

There is no doubt that world-events have hit the industry, hard. However, some experts have always warned that gambling is a business that is subjected to the overall health of the economy, as well as policymakers. Tribes have always had an underlining fear that they might lose the rights given to them, add to this the overall declining interest of young people in land-based gambling, they might have even more reasons to worry.

Perhaps, Native American tribes should turn their attention to the digital sphere, as these platforms are booming. Maybe they should get non-gambling amenities involved like malls, golf courses, and water parks. Or, turn to entertainment to stay competitive.

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Compiled by: Glenn Welker
ghwelker@gmx.com