Why do Native Americans Own Casinos?

Have Native Americans got a link to casinos historically? We look into why Native Americans own a large proportion of casinos within the USA.

Why do Native Americans Own Casinos?

Native Americans own a lot of online casinos within the US? It’s something that a lot of people wonder about. Is gambling inherently part of the Native American culture? We’ve taken a look into why Native Americans own a big proportion of online casinos, and the history behind this.

Native Americans: Casino Originators

Gambling has been illegal in a large number of US states for many years. It’s why it was a little bit of a surprise that the American online gambling laws were able to be passed. However, for Native Americans, gambling was a way to escape from the life of poverty that the US way of life forced onto them.

Because state laws didn’t come into effect on reservation land, Native Americans were able to set up casinos without law enforcement being able to do anything about it. It meant that a lot of reservations saw this as a way to create revenue and jobs for the Native American population, without having to be beholden to other areas of the USA.

While there have been a number of success stories for Native Americans in other fields, there is also a lot of prejudice that they have to face. Setting up and running casinos was a way for Native Americans to live a comfortable life without having to deal with this prejudice in the workplace. Because they were able to be their own boss in this situation, it meant that they were less likely to suffer from prejudice in the workplace, and they were more likely to make themselves successful.

Was it Plain Sailing?

The short answer, is no. When the first Native Americans, who noticed that the reservation agreements said they didn’t have to abide by state laws, they were still harassed by law enforcement. Even though they weren’t breaking any laws as they were operating within their own reservation, police and sheriff offices still chose to close down the casinos, and stop them from operating.

However, Native Americans decided to take this through the courts. They battled against the unfair treatment, and it meant that casinos on reservation land, were declared off limits to law enforcement. This doesn’t stop them from being immune from federal law enforcement. So, if federal taxes aren’t paid, or if gun running was to take place on the casino grounds, then they would be shut down. While it would be unlikely for this to take place even without the threat of federal law enforcement, it is important for patrons to understand they are still protected by law, even when visiting a casino.

Once the casinos were set up, then it allowed Native Americans the opportunity to make a better life for themselves.

Benefits to Casinos for Native Americans

One of the biggest benefits, is that it transfers wealth into the reservations. This helps to create a microeconomy. From here, Native Americans are able to afford things like health care, and other vital requirements. This likely wouldn’t be possible without the reservation casinos.

It has also led to a lot of other casinos having to get approval from Native Americans before a casino can be set up outside of reservation land. This is, to ensure that Native Americans aren’t priced out of a market that has traditionally been theirs. It’s a vital way for them to protect their own economy, as well as bring in revenue.

It doesn’t end there either. It’s also allowed Native Americans to have a say and influence on gambling legislation within the country. There was a slight pushback within the community when it came to online gambling being legalised. Of course, when it went to court, there was nothing that could be done. But, by being part of the online casino industry, it meant that Native Americans were able to expand revenue streams, which is important if there are times when casinos have to close.

Moving Forwards in the Industry

Obviously, the casino industry has grown massively over the last 20 years. The advent of online gambling changed things in several ways. It meant that people had access to casinos, without having to go to reservation casinos. It was almost like Las Vegas was suddenly transported to their front room. This did require some change from the Native American casino operators.

While some were open and willing to embrace the new technology, there were some who were still steeped in tradition. However, as online gambling has become legal pretty much across the country, the Native American community has become more accepting of the technology. This is mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, technology always moves forwards, and to try and fight this, is a losing battle. By accepting online gambling, it allows Native Americans to retain their position as the vanguards of gambling in the US.

Secondly, many stalwarts realised that their own opening of casinos, was originally a subversive move in the same way that they see online gambling. As such, they softened their stance, and they understood that online gambling is here to stay. It means that going into the future, Native Americans will still hold a strong position in the gambling world, and they can continue to provide jobs and stability to their people.