The Native American people have problems of their own. With the casino business bringing in profits of almost 13 billion, most of the money goes to the wrong causes just like the the US lottery system.
Is Hollow Horn prospering from the $12.7 billion Indian gaming industry? Like most Native Americans, not at all. Last year the Oglala's Prairie Wind Casino, housed in a temporary, white, circus-tent-like structure smaller than a basketball court, turned a profit of $2.4 million on total revenue of $9.5 million. Most of the money went to fund general programs, such as services for the elderly and young people, as well as education and economic development. But even if there had been profit sharing instead, the payout would have worked out to a daily stipend of just 16¢ for each of the 41,000 tribe members.
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This article was dated
Monday, Dec. 16, 2002 .
We were at Prairie Wind a few weeks ago and it is no longer as described in this article.
http://www.prairiewindcasino.com/index.php
OUR BEGINNINGS
From three doublewides in October 1994 to a tent-like structure in 1998 to a permanent building in 2007, Prairie Wind Casino has come a long way.
In March of 2007, Prairie Wind Casino proudly opened its first permanent structure to the community.
http://www.lakotamall.com/prairiewind/about.htm
As someone who double majored in AIS and Anthro with a minor in Soc, I could spend hours writing about what caused the problems on this rez, as well as others. The problem at Pine Ridge/Oglala/Prairie Wind was because of management issues/nepotism. There are also regulations in South Dakota that limit the number of slot machines in casinos.
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10511861/1/lobbyist-says-sd-slots-limits-hurt-tribal-casinos.html
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA).
The IGRA of 1988 and Tribal-State Compacts
In section 3A of this act includes specific instructions for the process of developing a tribal-state compact. Indian tribes are expected to request a compact with states if they should desire to have Class III gaming (States have no jurisdiction over Class I and II gambling). Following such a request, states are required to enter negotiations and deal with the tribes in "good faith". The original text of the act implied that if states tried to "stone-wall" tribal gambling, the tribes could look to the federal courts for support [3] But while the IGRA is giving states unprecedented influence on tribal economic concerns, it also seeks to maintain the federal government as the "guardian" of the tribes. Accordingly, section 3B maintains the power of the federal government in this aspect. No compact will be valid until the United States Secretary of the Interior has entered the compact into the Federal registry. Also, tribes who feel that a state is not negotiating in "good faith" have the right to sue the states in federal court.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribal-State_compacts#The_IGRA_of_1988_and_Tribal-State_Compacts
The Shakopees have done well.
http://www.indianaffairs.state.mn.us/tribes_shakopee.html