Tribes report record-breaking gaming revenue of $41.9 billion in 2023, an increase of $1 billion

ASHWAUBENON — Tribal gaming revenue hit $41.9 billion nationwide in 2023, setting a record, according to the National Indian Gaming Commission .

The record-breaking amount was announced Thursday during the Wisconsin Gaming Regulators Association summer conference at the Oneida Hotel.

The 527 independently reviewed and audited financial statements, submitted by 245 tribes across 29 states, were all combined to produce the 2023 Fiscal Year Gross Gaming Revenue Report , according to Sharon M. Avery the acting chairwoman of the National Indian Gaming Commission.

The gross gaming revenue report showed that gaming revenue brought in $1 billion more than in 2022. This broke the overall record from previous years, showing a steady increase since the drop in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is very encouraging news as operations continuing to emerge from the pandemic. We are further happy to report that all eight regions showed an increase" over the 2022 fiscal year, Avery said. “It is important to note that the year over year GGR change by region should not be used as a direct indicator of the local economy in any specific region.”

Of the $41.9 billion, $5.1 billion came from the St. Paul region, which includes Wisconsin. That was a 2.8% increase from the previous year, the report shows.

For many tribes, the money from gaming, and other business ventures, is used to fund essential services like health care and education — since Indigenous nations do not collect taxes .

Oneida Nation Chairman Tehassi Hill said gaming does more for the community than create businesses and jobs, it has an expansive impact on the U.S. economy and brings “new dimension to the debate over Indian sovereignty,” he said.

“Many tribes now have the economic means to exercise their inherent sovereign powers, allowing them to provide services to themselves rather than depending solely on the government,” Hill said. “Which means they can cater the services necessary based on the needs within their tribe.”

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Ernest Stevens Jr., chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association and a citizen of the Oneida Nation, stressed the importance of diversifying revenue sources.

“Through strategic utilization of gaming revenues, tribes have expanded their businesses, business portfolios to include ventures in hospitality, tourism and entertainment,” he said. “This diversification has contributed to the tribal communities overall economic empowerment … fostering self-sufficiency.”

Gaming has laid the foundation for “sustainable growth and prosperity for future generations of tribal communities,” Stevens said.

Gaming accounts for around 95% of the Oneida Nation’s tribal budget, which goes toward essential services and programs, according to Hill.

“Since 1996, Oneida has designated almost $100 million for higher education for our tribal members,” Hill said. “That is one of the single largest impacts that our program services has for our community, raising their educational attainment, which in turn raises their quality of life and their social economic status.”

Alyssa N. Salcedo is a reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Email asalcedo@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Tribes report record-breaking gaming revenue of $41.9 billion in 2023, an increase of $1 billion