The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) announced Gross Gaming Revenues (GGR) of $43.9 billion for fiscal year 2024, the highest ever recorded for tribal gaming in the US.
The NIGC report compiles financial data from 532 gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognized tribes across 29 states.
GGR was up 4.6% from FY2023’s $41.9 billion, with the biggest increases seen in Oklahoma City (up 12.7%) and Washington, D.C. (up 11.2%).
Sacramento recorded the highest revenue at $12.1 billion, representing a 1.4% increase from the previous year.
Commenting on the record figures, NIGC Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland stated: “These revenue numbers demonstrate the positive impacts of tribal gaming and the essential role it plays supporting tribal sovereignty, job growth, infrastructure, education, and important social, health, and welfare programs in tribal communities – just to name a few,”
“NIGC remains committed to working with Tribes and their regulators to ensure the long-term integrity and success of Indian gaming.”
As shown in the graph below, revenue figures have increased steadily this century and are now almost double the $22.6 billion recorded in 2005. Only in a COVID-hit FY2020 did revenue show any decline, but it recovered in 2021 to surpass pre-COVID figures.
Source: NIGC
While tribal gaming continues to see steady growth, the rate is lower than commercial gaming.
The American Gaming Association reported that commercial gaming generated a record $71.9 billion in revenue in 2024, representing a 7.5% increase from 2023.
Traditional casinos accounted for the majority of revenue at $49.8 billion, while sports betting revenue jumped 25.4% to $13.7 billion from $10.9 billion.
Rhode Island became the seventh state to legalize online casinos, resulting in iGaming revenue increasing to $8.4 billion. Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey all saw record-breaking years, surpassing $2 billion in revenue.
The growth in commercial markets and tribal gaming, however, lags behind the unregulated industry. A report by Yield Sec, published earlier this year, showed that unregulated online gambling generated $67.1 billion in revenue in 2024, which was almost triple the $23 billion generated by regulated online platforms.
Source: Yield Sec
The NIGC believes the continued growth, albeit at a slower rate than commercial and unregulated gaming, puts tribal gaming in a strong position.
The report stated: “With strong tribal governance and collaborative regulation, the industry is well‑positioned to meet future challenges and opportunities.”
This year, states and tribes have been fighting against unregulated gambling, which includes prediction markets, sweepstakes casinos, and offshore betting platforms.
Several states have passed legislation that criminalizes the dual-currency model employed by sweepstakes casinos, including New York, New Jersey, Montana, and Connecticut.
Tribal groups have also supported a bill in California that aims to prohibit the platforms. California Nations Indian Gaming Association Chair James Siva offered his support for the ban, stating: “These illegal platforms erase the benefits of regulated gaming while exposing consumers to serious risks.”
In addition to supporting bans on sweepstakes casinos, tribes have been campaigning against the expansion of prediction markets.
A coalition of 60 tribes filed amicus briefs in state courts against Kalshi, alleging that the platform’s sports markets are illegally infringing upon tribal rights under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
California tribes also filed their own lawsuit against Kalshi and Robinhood last month. The lawsuit stated: “Kalshi is engaging in sport gambling as defined by the IGRA and the Tribes’ Compacts, Procedures, and Ordinances. Therefore, the Tribes seek an order from the Court enjoining Kalshi from conducting its illegal sports gambling operation.”
Tribes have exclusive rights to legal gambling in California and have also supported the recent move by the state’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, to declare DFS illegal.
Despite the challenges and growing competition between tribes, commercial gambling companies, and unregulated operators, all three spheres of the gambling industry are seeing growth.
Tribal groups will hope they can use their leverage on lawmakers to curb the rise of new threats such as sweepstakes casinos and prediction markets, while also limiting the expansion of legalized gambling in states where they hold exclusivity, such as California.
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