Casino City Releases 2017 Indian Gaming Industry Report: Indian Gaming Gains Momentum with Pre-Recession Growth

Newton, Massachusetts, April 11, 2017 -- Casino City Press today announced the release of the 2017 Edition of Casino City’s Indian Gaming Industry Report – the most comprehensive, up-to-date study of Indian gaming available – authored by Dr. Alan Meister, an economist with Nathan Associates Inc. who has done extensive research and analysis on Indian gaming issues over the past 17 years.

Dr. Meister highlights that “In 2015, Indian gaming on a nationwide basis not only outpaced its 2014 growth; it experienced its sixth straight year of growth and surpassed its pre-recession growth rate for the first time.  Indian gaming also outperformed the growth of the economy and other casino gaming segments to become the largest industry segment.”

Significant findings include the following:

• In calendar year 2015, there were 242 Native American tribes operating nearly 357,000 gaming machines and nearly 7,700 table games in 494 gaming facilities across 28 states.
• Gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities nationwide grew approximately 5.5% in 2015 to an all-time high of approximately $30.5 billion.
• 2015 was the sixth consecutive year of growth for Indian gaming.
• Indian gaming became the largest casino gaming segment, generating 44.3% of all U.S. casino gaming revenue in 2015.
• The growth rate of non-gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities (4.5%) was strong but slightly less than that of gaming revenue.
• There continued to be a wide disparity in the performance of Indian gaming.
• Gaming revenue grew in 24 states, including double-digit growth in four states.
• However, gaming revenue declined in four states, including a double-digit decline in one state.
• The top 2 states generated approximately 40% of total gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities; the top 5 states generated about 63%; and the top 10 states generated 85%.
• Indian gaming facilities, including non-gaming operations, directly and indirectly generated approximately $103 billion in output, 770,000 jobs, $35.5 billion in wages, $1.76 billion in direct revenue sharing payments to federal, state, and local governments, and $10.5 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.

 The Report provides nationwide and state statistics (the latter not available anywhere else) for calendar year 2015, the most current data available, including: gaming and non-gaming revenue; Class II vs. Class III gaming; number of facilities, tribes, gaming machines, and table games; and revenue sharing with federal, state, and local governments.  The Report also includes comparisons across states, state-by-state market summaries, historical perspective and trends, an assessment of the recent performance of Indian gaming, comparisons to other gaming segments, an economic impact analysis measuring Indian gaming’s contribution to the U.S. economy, and a future outlook including potential growth opportunities and challenges.

Casino City’s Indian Gaming Industry Report is relied upon by the gaming industry, other related industries, tribal and non-tribal governments, gaming regulatory agencies, the investment community, academics, gaming consultants, and news outlets.  As in previous years, this report continues to be the product of independent scholarly research.  Neither Dr. Meister nor Nathan Associates nor Casino City was commissioned to prepare it.

For more information and to order a copy of the report, visit www.IndianGamingReport.com.

Alan Meister, Ph.D.
Nathan Associates Inc.
[email protected]
949-474-4955