Indian Gaming

Wisconsin tribes take different approaches to gaming per capita payments:

As the GWM investigation shows, each tribe’s philosophy behind per-capita payments is different. Do you give out huge annual payments? Or, do you give more modest ones and invest in tribal businesses, education, health care and human services?

To their credit, the tribes have put a lot of thought into these decisions. Not every tribe can afford large per-capita payments each year, and some think the profits should be reinvested. There are other safeguards that encourage young members to stay in school and not substitute a large payday when they turn 18 for a high school degree.

The Forest County Potawatomi favor giving a large chunk of gaming profits back to their members. In 2012, the Potawatomi paid out about $80,000 to each of its 1,400 enrolled members, according to GWM estimates.

The thought is tribal members will spend the money locally and that will drive business.

The Potawatomi per capita dwarves that of the other tribes. The Oneidas, for example, paid out $1,745 per enrolled member in 2012, and the Menominee tribe paid about $75, according to the GWM report.

Get the Story:
Editorial: Per capita payments a balancing act for tribal casinos (The Green Bay Press-Gazette 3/1)

Also Today:
Gambling has given Ho-Chunk new hope (Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism 3/3)