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Tribal casinos consist of both online and land-based casinos and bingo halls located in the USA and Canada. Those in Canada have estimated revenue of $1B while those in the US are valued at $29B.
The tribal casinos in the US date back to the 1970s when the first tribal bingo was started to help raise money for the Indian tribal government operations. Although tribal casinos in the USA have a lot of similarities with those in Canada, they have big differences too.
Differences in age
Tribal gaming in the US started in 1970 with bingo operations. Native American casino establishments followed quickly, and more tribes continued to open casinos and bingos across the US states.
Today, about 28 US states have tribal casinos, with California and Michigan concentrating most of them. Last year, the law regulating MI online casino sites was finally passed, allowing some notorious tribes in the state to offer their gambling games online as well.
Tribal casinos in Canada are relatively new, with the earliest operations dating back to the mid-1990s. They have not been spreading fast like in the US. To date, Canada has about 17 tribal casinos located in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Alberta, and British Colombia.
The regulating entity
Under the USA gambling legalization rules, the US government, both at the federal and state level, has minimal regulations over what goes on in the tribal casinos. The greater responsibility is left upon the tribal leaders to set regulatory rules and follow up on their implementation. The authority for regulating the tribal casinos is found in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Tribal casinos in Canada operate under the First Nations Gaming Act of 1995. The law allows natives to set up casinos for economic benefits. They are only allowed to offer products to gamble, although they may form trust funds or oversight commissions. The tribes don’t have much control over the casinos.
Differences in revenue
Due to the large numbers of Americans who enjoy online playing at the tribal casinos, the revenues for tribal casinos keep souring. Currently, tribal casinos in the US are valued at $29 billion. Part of that money goes to the state government, another part to the tribes, and the operations of the facilities.
The first nations casinos in Canada are few but they have also been performing well. Currently, they have an estimated revenue of $1 billion. Tribal casinos in Canada have fewer products to offer due to restrictions from the government. This is also playing a part in their slow development and growth.
