The House Always Wins

Channel 3 in Madison is reporting that Tribal Indian Casinos raked in more than twice Las Vegas and Reno last year.

WASHINGTON -- Tribal casinos are booming -- pulling in nearly double the profits of Nevada's major gambling resorts last year.

Indian gambling made $18.5 billion in 2004.

That's 10 percent more than the year before. In fact, Indian casinos have marked double-digit growth for more than a decade.

Major Nevada resorts took in $9.88 billion in gambling revenue in the 2004 fiscal year. Overall, revenue at Nevada resorts, including from hotels and restaurants, was $19.59 billion in 2004. That figure for Indian casinos was $21 billion.

There are now 411 Indian casinos in the U.S. -- operated by 223 tribes in 28 states. More than half of federally recognized tribes in the continental United States operate gambling centers.

The National Indian Gaming Association says such casinos have created more than 500,000 jobs, mostly for non-Indians. They generated $5.5 billion in federal taxes in 2004.

Because tribes are sovereign nations, they don't pay state or local taxes. They're also exempt from most zoning laws.

Of course, in Wisconsin we have a crooked Governor who was more concerned about filling his campaign coffers with tribal casino money than helping the taxpayers of his state. The tribes, of course, back him and any attacks on them are seen as either racist or an attack on the 'jobs' Indian Gaming brings to Wisconsin.

I have nothing against Indian Gaming in Wisconsin, I just want them to follow the same rules as everyone else in Wisconsin, with no special treatment whatsoever.

Cross Posted at Lakeshore Laments by Kevin