Tribal casinos in the US generated a record-breaking $42bn in revenue last year. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Tribal casinos in the US had their best-ever year in 2023, generating a record-breaking $42bn in revenue and experiencing the same uptick as commercial operations in the country for the same period. The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) released the official figures on Thursday, highlighting the 2.4% increase from the 2022 figure, which was also an all-time high.

figures come from 527 gambling properties in 29 states

These figures come from 527 gambling properties in 29 states that are operated by almost 245 tribes. Tribes have 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to submit financial data to the NIGC.

Split into eight regions for reporting purposes, the best-performing area was Sacramento, accounting for almost 29% of the total revenue figure thanks to the results from 87 facilities. Each region saw growth in 2023, with the combined efforts of the 54 operations in the Phoenix region experiencing the highest year-on-year growth rate of 5.4%.

Talking about the figures, NIGC Acting Chairperson Sharon Avery said they show that a “strong regulatory framework and diversity of tribal gaming enterprises generates growth.”

She added that operators showed great “ingenuity and tenacity” in a constantly changing sector. Avery is confident that the success will continue and that gaming operations will keep driving economic sustainability across tribal communities.