Indian Gaming Sets New Bar with $43.9B Revenue Haul in FY 2024

^{Tribal gaming revenue continues to rise across the US.  (Photo: courtesy of Indianz.com)}

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) announced Thursday that Native American casinos had brought in total gross gaming revenues of $43.9 billion in fiscal year 2024, a new record high for the Indian gaming industry.

That number was up 4.6 percent over fiscal year 2023, when the industry earned $41.9 billion in gross revenue.

Tribal Gaming Continues Winning Streak in 2024

The figures from the NIGC, a federal agency within the Department of the Interior, include independently audited figures from 532 gaming operations in 29 states which are owned by 243 federally recognized tribes.

“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 Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland said. 

“NIGC remains committed to working with Tribes and their regulators to ensure the long-term integrity and success of Indian gaming,” Hovland added.

Tribal gross gaming revenue has increased each year since fiscal year 2010 except for fiscal year 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant dip in casino activity. 

The NIGC uses the federal fiscal year calendar for revenue reporting, which means the data spans from October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. 

Commercial, Tribal Gaming Setting New Records

Still, that data can be roughly compared to the commercial gaming industry in the United States. The American Gaming Association (AGA) reported that in 2024, commercial gaming brought in $71.9 billion in gross gaming revenue. $49.8 billion of that total came from traditional casino play, $13.7 billion came from sports betting, and $8.4 billion generated by iGaming operations. In total, online gambling raised $21.5 billion in revenue in 2024, a new record according to the AGA. 

Adding those numbers together, commercial and tribal gaming sources combined to generate $113.8 billion in gross revenue in 2024, up from $108.9 billion in 2023.

“In 2024, Americans embraced the diverse legal gaming options available to them—whether in casinos, at sportsbooks, or online—leading to another record-setting year for our industry,” AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said in February, when the commercial figures were announced.

The focus on legal gaming options is something that the commercial and tribal gaming industries have both emphasized, particularly when it comes to addressing potential competition from unregulated sources.

For instance, Kalshi and other prediction platforms have faced pushbacks from both tribal and commercial gaming operators – not to mention regulators in several states – for offering contracts on sporting events. Sweepstakes casinos have also been a common target for the regulated gaming industry, with several states increasing efforts to crack down on the dual currency casinos.