Sightline Payments Associate Member of National Indian Gaming Association

Honoring Indian Gaming achievments by supporting and becoming an Associate Member of NIGA. Visit Sightline Payments at the Indian Gaming Expo April 3-6th in Phoenix AZ booth #544.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Sightline Payments: Supporting Indian Tribes Making Important Gains Through Indian Gaming

Sightline Payments Supports Indian Tribes Making Important Gains Through Indian Gaming
Americans understand that Indian tribes are making important gains through Indian gaming. NIGA’s polling consistently finds that more than 75 percent of Americans agree that Indian tribes benefit from having casinos; Indian gaming provides jobs for Indians; and that Indian gaming generates essential revenues that tribes can use to provide essential services to tribal members. That’s not surprising because more than 24.5 million Americans visited Indian gaming facilities in 2009, and they saw firsthand the progress that Indian tribes are making through Indian gaming. The impact gaming had in Indian Country, as well as our neighboring communities, during 2009. The numbers, compiled from tribes across the country, tell an exciting story of successful, responsible growth and promise.
NIGA releases its seventh economic impact study at: http://www.indiangaming.org/info/NIGA_2009_Economic_Impact_Report.pdf
Nationwide, 237 Indian tribes in 28 states use Indian gaming to create new jobs, fund essential government services and rebuild communities. In 2009, tribal governments generated:

  • $26.2 Billion in gross revenue from Indian gaming (before wages, operating expenses, cost of goods and services, capital costs, etc. are paid).

  • $3.2 Billion in gross revenue from related hospitality and entertainment services (resorts, hotels, restaurants, golf, entertainment complexes, and travel centers, etc.).

  • 628,000 jobs nationwide for American Indians and our neighbors (direct and indirect jobs created by Indian gaming’s economic multiplier effect).

  • $9.4 Billion in Federal taxes and revenue savings (including employer and employee social security
  • taxes, income taxes, excise taxes, and savings on unemployment and welfare payments).

  • $2.4 Billion in state taxes, revenue sharing, and regulatory payments (including state income, sales
  • and excise taxes, regulatory payments and revenue sharing pursuant to Tribal-State compacts).

Important history about Indian Gaming and Original Indian Sovereignty
Long before Columbus arrived in America, Indian tribes were independent sovereigns. From the first days of the Republic, the United States acknowledged the sovereign authority of Indian tribes. In 1778, the first Indian treaty recognized tribal rights of self-government and the Constitution affirms the sovereign status of Indian tribes in both the Treaty and Indian Commerce Clauses.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) protects Indian gaming as a means to promote “tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments.” And it’s working. Across America, schools and hospitals are being built, dirt roads are being paved, and safe drinking water flows—sometimes for the first time. The benefits of Indian gaming are far reaching and extend in many directions.
Indian Gaming Regulation
No one has a greater interest in the integrity of Indian gaming than Tribal Governments. Today, Indian gaming is the Native American success story. Tribal governments use their net gaming revenues to fund essential government services—education, health care, police and fire protection, water and sewer service, transportation, child and elder care —and to build basic community infrastructure, schools, hospitals, water systems, and roads. Tribal governments also give generously to charitable causes totaling over $150 million annually.
In 2009 Tribal governments over $350 million to fund regulation of their industry which provided over 628,000 jobs nationwide. Of the $350 million, Tribal governments spent $260 million to fund regulation of their gaming facilities. Tribal governments also provided $80 million to States to fund regulation.
Tribal Governments have adopted Casino Industry Standards and Internal Controls, Tribal Governments must comply with the Title 31 (Bank Secrecy Act). Additionally, Indian Nations have created extensive security and surveillance networking systems to exchange intelligence and monitor casinos.
Federal Agencies with oversight relationships to Indian gaming including the FBI, the IRS, the U.S. Attorneys, the U.S. Marshals, Attorneys General, Secret Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Tribal-State Gaming Compacts provide the states with regulatory power in Indian gaming, though IGRA recognizes that the federal government has primary responsibility for government-to­-government relations with sovereign Indian Nations. Most states have a state gaming office providing for the regulation of gaming in the state. The degree of state regulation varies from state to state according to each state-tribal government compact.
Sightline Payments LLC founded by Kirk Sanford dedicates this blog to the perseverance and dedication Indian tribes have accomplished and their great accomplishments in Indian gaming. Those achievements should be honored and supported by becoming an Associate Member of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). The Indian Gaming Expo 2011 will be on April 3-6th and will be held in Phoenix Arizona at the Phoenix Convention Center. Sightline Payments will be exhibiting in booth #1036. Map View