Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association kicks off annual convention

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The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa is operated by the Cherokee Nation in Catoosa, Oklahoma. Photo: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Indianz.Com

The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) is hosting its annual conference and trade show in Oklahoma City.

The 29th annual event kicked off on Monday with the John Marley Golf Tournament that raised scholarship funds for people who work in gaming and their families. It continues with a trade show and a series of breakout sessions at the Oklahoma City Convention Center, where nearly 3,000 tribal leaders, industry professionals and vendors are gathering.

“The industry we have built together is strong,” said OIGA Chairman Matthew L. Morgan, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. Ahead of the event, the organization announced that both the golf tournament and trade show were sold out in terms of available space.

“From humble bingo halls established more than 30 years ago, Oklahoma’s tribal gaming has — thanks to the visionary leadership and hard work of many — become a powerful economic driver and job provider for thousands of Oklahomans in big cities, small rural communities and everywhere in between,” Morgan continued. “I am profoundly grateful for tribal gaming and proud of all the good it brings.”

Highlights of Tuesday’s sessions include an update on litigation affecting Indian gaming, sports betting and the Native vote. On Wednesday, panel topics include trailblazing Native women, human trafficking and safety for women travelers. [PDF: Full List]

29th Annual Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Conference and Trade Show

Oklahoma is home to 136 gaming facilities, according to the fiscal year 2023 report from the state’s gaming compliance unit. That’s the most of any state.

According to the state report, the facilities generated more than $3.34 billion in revenue from Class III games, a category that includes slot machines, table games and related offerings. The tribes shared more than $202 million with the state, an increase of 5.6 percent from the prior year.

The facilities in Oklahoma are grouped into two regions by the National Indian Gaming Commission, a federal agency. They fall into the Oklahoma City Region, which also includes three tribal operations in Texas, and the Tulsa Region, which includes seven in Kansas.

The NIGC does not separate the Oklahoma facilities from those in the two neighboring states. But according to the agency’s fiscal year 2023 gross gaming revenue report, the Oklahoma City Region generated more than $3.2 billion in revenues and the Tulsa Region generated nearly $3.6 billion. Both regions saw increases from the prior year.

Of the 39 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, 33 operate gaming facilities, according to OIGA.