Blog

• Gambling News

Tribal Casinos Won a Record $43.9 Billion From Gamblers in the 2024 Fiscal Year

In the fiscal year 2024, tribal casinos in the US achieved record gaming income.

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) released its fiscal gross gaming income report for 2024 on Thursday.  According to the federal regulating body established by the Indian Gaming regulating Act (IGRA) in 1988, Native American-owned casinos made a record $43.9 billion in gaming revenue between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.

"This year’s GGR reflects not only the resilience of the tribal gaming industry, but also the dedication of tribal leadership in preserving and growing this important economic driver for their communities,” said NIGC Acting Chairwoman Sharon Avery. “The continued success of Indian gaming is a testament to the strong tribal governance and the sound regulation that protects the integrity of the industry.”

The NIGC report counts the winnings from 532 tribal casinos in 29 states that are owned by 243 federally recognized tribes.

Revenue Records

Money earned by Native American slot machines, table games, sports betting, and iGaming is included in the NIGC tribal casino income report.

Online sports betting and casino gambling are legal for tribes in Michigan and Connecticut.  In Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, tribes also engage in various types of sports gambling.

The federally recognized tribes' extraordinary GGR is comparable to the commercial gambling industry, which in May announced record revenue of $72 billion in 2024.  The ongoing rise has been spurred by the liberalization of sports betting and the legalization of iGaming in seven states.

Tribal casino revenue reached a record for the fourth year in a row during the fiscal year 2024.  Following the pandemic-plagued 2020 fiscal year, when GGR fell to $27.8 billion, the lowest harvest since 2011, the historic run came.

"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 programs in tribal communities — just to name a few,” added NIGC Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland. “NIGC remains committed to working with tribes and their regulators to ensure the long-term integrity and success of Indian gaming.”

Many tribes rely on their casinos as their main source of income, as gambling enables the sovereign nations to prosper and offer their citizens stable employment and high-quality living conditions.

California Takes the Lead

Due to California's restriction on commercial casinos, residents and tourists who want to play live-dealer table games and slots must visit a tribal gaming establishment (apart from non-house-banked commercial card clubs).  According to the NIGC, California's tribal casinos brought in the most money from gaming for the fiscal year 2024, with a gross gaming revenue (GGR) of over $12.1 billion.

There are currently 87 casinos operating in the NIGC's California market, which also includes a few minor tribal casinos in northern Nevada.  Next, at $10.2 billion, were tribal casinos in the east and southeast of the NIGC, which included establishments in New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Approximately $7.2 billion was won by tribal casinos in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.