A Broad Introduction

1
Indian Gaming in the US

• A Broad Introduction
• (Preface to the Triptych Case Studies)
• By Shalin Hai-Jew

2
Context

• Hundreds of years of misdirected federal policies
  towards Native Americans
• Low socioeconomic status (SES), high poverty
  rates, and low health and other indicators of
  well being for Native Americans

3
Tribal Sovereignty

• the central legitimating issue for Indian
  gaming (Elinson, Jan. 19, 2007, n.p.)
• a matter not only of sensitivity and legal
  nuance but also the crux of dispute related to
  Indian gaming (Elinson, Jan. 19, 2007, n.p.)
• also labeled dual sovereignty (Fenelon, Nov.
  2006, p. 382)

4
Push for Native American Self Sufficiency

• Native American Government Reservation
  infrastructure building
• Economic partnerships, entrepreneurial endeavors
  and fund-raising
• Revitalizing tribal governance
• Reconnecting with traditional cultures and
  languages
• Jobs creation
• Image recreation
• US Government Fewer transfer payments, more tax
  revenues

5
Indian Gaming

• gaming conducted by an Indian tribe on Indian
  lands (Light and Rand, 2005, p. 3)

6
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988)

• Tribes
• must establish their own gaming regulatory
  systems
• must solely own Indian casinos
• must use net revenues for restricted purposes

7
Restricted Expenditures from Tribal Gaming

• (i)    to fund tribal government operations or
  programs
• (ii)   to provide for the general welfare of the
  Indian tribe and its members
• (iii)  to promote tribal economic development
• (iv)  to donate to charitable organizations
• (v) or to help fund operations of local
  government agencies.

8
Detractors

• Some corporate casinos
• Some religious groups
• Some political groups
• Some Native tribes and traditionalists

9
Economic Challenges

• No new wealth creation
• Less taxation for state coffers
• Self-contained benefits to Indian casinos with
  little to no spillover benefits
• Undue infrastructure and public services burden
  on the local community

10
Economic Challenges (cont.)

• High opportunity costs for the tribe
• Unfair support for a particular segment of
  society
• A recycling of tribal moneys only
• A rise in crime

11
Tribal Relationships / Native American Cultures
Challenges

• Inter-tribal strife and competition
• Misuse of sacred lands
• Gaming is counter-cultural
• Unintended social changes towards more
  individualism, more focus on materialism, and
  more cultural decay Conflict with Native American
  lifestyles

12
Ethical and / or Moral EffectsChallenges

• Promotion of problem gambling
• Buying political power
• Image changing for Native Americans
• A compromising of Indian nationhood and
  sovereignty
• Mainstream economic assimilation

13
Timeline for Native Gaming
14
Statistics Today

• 567 federally recognized Indian tribes in the US
• 4.1 million Americans with American Indian
  ancestry (1.5 of the nations population)
• 65 of Indian tribes in lower 48 use Indian
  gaming for government revenue

15
Statistics Today (cont.)

• 22.6 billion generated by Indian gaming in 2005

16
Three Case Study Approaches

• THE ECONOMICS FRAME All in? Economic Factors
  to Consider in Native Gaming
• THE SOCIAL CULTURAL FRAME Smallpox or New
  Buffalo Whats the Right Analogy for Native
  Gaming?
• THE POLITICAL FRAME Setting the Rules for
  Native Gaming

17
Using Frames to Study Indian Gaming
18
Conclusion