National Indian Gaming Commission Reports 5.3% Increase in Tribal Gaming Revenue to $46.2 Billion in Fiscal Year 2025

Tribal casinos across the country posted their best year on record in fiscal 2025, according to new figures released by the National Indian Gaming Commission. The federal regulator announced gross gaming revenues of $46.2 billion for the fiscal year, a $2.3 billion jump over fiscal 2024 and growth of 5.3% across the Indian gaming industry.

The number, the highest annual gross gaming revenue total in the history of Indian gaming, is drawn from independently audited financial statements submitted by 545 gaming establishments operated by 246 tribes spread across 29 states. Seven of the NIGC’s eight regulatory regions posted gains over the prior fiscal year, underscoring how broad-based the growth has been rather than being driven by a single market.

A Steady Climb Since the Pandemic Low

The fiscal 2025 total caps a sharp recovery arc for tribal gaming. Revenue bottomed out at $27.8 billion in 2020 as the pandemic shuttered casino floors nationwide, a steep drop from the $34.6 billion recorded in 2019. The rebound was swift: revenue jumped back to $39 billion in 2021 and has climbed in each of the years since, culminating in this year’s record haul.

“Indian gaming is an important contributor to tribal economies that empowers sovereign tribal governments to invest in their communities and provide their citizens with essential services,” NIGC Vice Chair Billy Kirkland said in announcing the results. NIGC Associate Commissioner Sharon Avery echoed that framing, noting the figures “reflect the continued commitment of tribal regulators and operators to responsible growth and community benefit.”

Where the Growth Is Coming From

California, the largest tribal gaming market in the country, recorded a 4.1% increase to $12.6 billion, up from $12.1 billion the year before. The segment covering New York, North Carolina, and southern states saw the steepest jump among the major regions, rising 9.8% to $11.2 billion from $10.2 billion in fiscal 2024.

Elsewhere, the upper Midwest and Rust Belt region grew 2.9% to $5.3 billion, the Pacific Northwest rose 5.3% to $4.94 billion, and the Southwest climbed 5.3% to $4.2 billion. The Oklahoma City segment, which includes Texas, increased 3.3% to $3.7 billion, while the Tulsa segment covering Kansas rose 2.5% to $3.6 billion. The lone region to post a decline was the upper Plains, which slipped nearly 1% to $439.7 million.

The report also highlighted how concentrated revenue remains among the largest operations. About 9% of gaming facilities reported more than $250 million in gaming revenue, and that group alone accounted for 56% of total industry revenue. At the other end, just over 54% of tribal gaming facilities brought in less than $25 million, representing only about 5% of the overall revenue share — a distribution the NIGC says has stayed fairly consistent over the past several years.

The tribal gaming record arrives in the same year the commercial casino sector posted its own all-time high, with commercial gross gaming revenue reaching $78.6 billion in 2025, a sign that overall demand for casino gaming — whether at tribal or commercial properties — remains strong nationwide even as more states weigh new betting options like social casinos for players who prefer a lower-stakes entry point.

Why the Numbers Matter

The NIGC defines gross gaming revenue as the amount wagered minus winnings returned to players, and it uses the annual figure both to track industry trends and to help guide regulatory policy under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. With revenue growth spread across nearly every region of the country, the fiscal 2025 report signals that tribal gaming’s post-pandemic expansion has settled into a sustained, multi-year trend rather than a short-term rebound — a dynamic that continues to shape gaming policy discussions from state capitals to Washington.