Tribal casino revenues fell for the first time since 1998, according to the new Indian Gaming Industry Report by Alan Meister.

Tribes across the nation took in $26.4 billion in 2009. That's 1 percent lower than the $26.7 billion in 2008, when tribes posted only a modest 1 percent increase.

“In 2009, the continuing U.S. economic crisis was a major cause of the decline in Indian gaming on a nationwide basis,” the report states, The Mitchell Daily Republic reported. “Amid poor economic conditions, including lower disposable income and decreased consumer spending, patrons reportedly spent less per visit at Indian gaming facilities, and decreased their number of visits.”

Despite the national decline, tribes in South Dakota saw growth in their gaming and non-gaming revenue, according to the report.

Get the Story:
Report: Indian casino revenue falls (The Cape Cod Times 3/2)
Indian gaming down nationally, up in S. Dakota (The Mitchell Daily Republic 3/2)
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Revenue drops for Native American casinos in New York (The Tonawanda News 3/2)
Florida's Indian casinos raked in $2 billion in 2009 (The St. Petersburg Times 3/2)
Report: Indian casino revenue fell in 2009 (AP 3/2)