Arizona’s tribal casinos are flourishing, as evidenced by their record contributions to the state’s Benefit Fund in fiscal year 2022, which ended in June.
During July 2021 to June 2022, tribes contributed an incredible $123.6 million to the Arizona Benefit Fund, with $15.1 million of that amount going directly to counties, cities, and towns in Arizona.
The fourth quarter of FY 2022 (April 1 to June 30) saw a contribution of $38.4 million, pushing the total for the year to new heights.
Report contribution demonstrates growth of betting across ALL OF US
There are a total of 16 tribes operating 24 Class 3 casinos in Arizona. While Arizona online casinos are still restricted from using real money, there are options for casino game entertainment through horse racing and social casinos.
The increase in contributions from Arizona casinos reflects the widespread growth of gambling across the nation. The more money that goes into the Arizona Benefit Fund (ABF), the more good can be done.
Ted Vogt, Director of the Arizona Department of Gambling, expressed enthusiasm about the remarkable year for gaming in Arizona during FY2022. He highlighted the historic levels of tribal contributions following the signing of the Amended Tribal-State Gaming Compact by Gov. Ducey last year.
Tribal advantages came from twenty-four AZ internet casinos
Out of the 22 federally recognized Native American tribes in Arizona, 16 of them operate 24 full-service casinos. The remaining six tribes lease their slot machine rights to those with casinos.
- Here is a list of the 16 tribes and their 24 casinos in alphabetical order:
- Ak-Chin Indian Community: Harrah’s Ak-Chin Hotel & Casino
- Cocopah Indian Tribe: Cocopah Casino Resort
- Colorado River Indian Tribes: Blue Water Resort & Casino
- Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation: We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center
- Fort Mojave Indian Tribe: Spirit Mountain Casino
- Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe: Paradise Casino
- Gila River Indian Community: Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino; Lone Butte Casino; Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino
- Navajo Nation: Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort
- Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona: Casino of the Sun; Casino del Sol Resort
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community: Casino Arizona; Talking Stick Resort
- San Carlos Apache Tribe: Apache Gold Casino Resort; Apache Sky Casino
- Tohono O’odham Nation: Desert Diamond Casino West Valley; Desert Diamond Tucson; Desert Diamond Sahuarita
- White Mountain Apache Tribe: Hon-Dah Resort Casino & Conference Center
- Yavapai-Apache Nation: Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
- Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe: Yavapai Casino; Bucky’s Casino
Tribe casino money pay for quite a few services inside Arizona
Now, how is the money in the ABF allocated by the state?
88% of the contributions from tribal casinos go to the ABF, while the remaining 12% is distributed to counties, cities, and towns in Arizona.
- Training
- Emergency products and services
- Wildlife preservation and refurbishment
- Tourism
The largest portion of the ABF, 56%, goes to the Educational Development Fund, which supports initiatives to reduce class sizes, increase teacher salaries, fund dropout prevention programs, and provide instructional development programs. The second-largest portion, 28%, goes to the Trauma and Emergency Services Fund, which helps cover the costs of unrecovered trauma centers and emergency services. The remaining 8% is divided equally between wildlife conservation and tourism.
The Arizona Benefit Fund is a great example of what regulated and licensed gambling can do for a state.
T.L. McBride is a writer and reporter based in Denver who covers the Denver Nuggets as a beat writer. He regularly contributes to PlayTexas on issues surrounding the illegal gaming market. His byline can be found across platforms such as ESPN, FiveThirtyEight, Bleacher Report, and more.
