Casino City releases 2009-2010 Indian Gaming Industry Report

NEWTON, Massachusetts -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Casino City Press today announced the release of the 2009-2010 edition of Casino City's Indian Gaming Industry Report – the most comprehensive, up-to-date study of Indian gaming available – authored by Dr. Alan Meister, an economist with Nathan Associates Inc., who has done extensive research and analysis on Indian gaming issues.

The Report provides calendar year 2008 nationwide statistics and state-by-state statistics (the latter not available anywhere else) including: gaming and non-gaming revenue; Class II vs. Class III gaming; number of facilities, tribes, gaming machines, and table games; market summaries; trends; and the fiscal impact of Indian gaming, including revenue sharing with state and local governments.

The Report includes comparisons across states, historical perspective on Indian gaming, an examination of the reasons for the continued growth of Indian gaming, comparisons to commercial casinos and racinos, an economic impact analysis examining Indian gaming's contribution to the U.S. economy, and a qualitative future outlook for Indian gaming. A chart showing gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities from 1988 to 2008 is included for print with this release.

Some key findings:

• Gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities was approximately $26.8 billion in 2008.
• Indian gaming revenue grew 1.5% in 2008, the slowest growth in its reported history.
• This growth was respectable given the downturn in the economy and the decline in the commercial gaming segment of the gaming industry.
• Oklahoma passed Connecticut to become the second largest state in terms of gaming revenue from Indian gaming facilities.
• The top 2 states, California and Oklahoma, generated 38% of total gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities.
• There was great disparity in the performance of Indian gaming across states - nearly one-half of the states with Indian gaming experienced declines in gaming revenue, while the other half experienced growth.
• The states that experienced the most growth in Indian gaming revenue in 2008 were Alaska, Alabama, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
• The states that made the greatest contribution to nationwide Indian gaming growth were Oklahoma and Florida, which are large revenue-generating states that continue to grow at a rapid pace.
• Indian gaming continued to make significant contributions to the U.S. economy in terms of output, jobs, and wages.

Regarding the slower growth in 2008, Dr. Meister said that while it can be attributed in large part to the general slowdown in the U.S. economy, the economic downturn "cannot explain the slower growth patterns in prior years, which have been the result of public policies designed to restrict the supply of Indian gaming."

Casino City's Indian Gaming Industry Report is relied upon by the gaming industry, other related industries, government/regulatory agencies, and the investment community, and is frequently cited by the press.

As in previous years, this study continues to be the product of independent academic research and neither Dr. Meister nor Nathan Associates was commissioned to do the study.

For more information and to order a copy of the report, visit www.CasinoCityPress.com.