Tribal casino revenues, 1998-2008. Source: National Indian Gaming Commission. Tribal casinos took in $26.7 billion in 2008, an increase of 2.3 percent, the National Indian Gaming Commission reported today. Chairman Phil Hogen announced the figures at the North American Gaming Regulators Association Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. He said the recession appears to have had an impact in Indian Country. "We know that the economic downturn has impact casino and bingo hall patrons, and reports from many tribal gaming facilities reflect that," said Hogen. "We are often told that while patrons appear to be visiting tribal gaming facilities as often as in the past, they seem to spend less per visit than before the downturn's onset." "The modest growth reflected in these numbers would seem to show that Indian gaming remains a strong and effective means of economic development for Indian nations," Hogen added. Despite the slight growth overall, tribes in two areas saw a drop in gaming revenues for 2008. Tribes in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Southern Nevada saw a 3.5 percent decline, and tribes in California and Northern Nevada saw a 5.6 percent decline. As in prior years, tribes in Oklahoma saw the most growth, with an 18.2 percent increase in the Tulsa area and a 17.6 percent increase in the Oklahoma City area.
