Since the North Dakota legislature legalized e-tabs back in 2017, tribal nations have been seeing a rapid decline in revenue while charities are reaping the benefits. This comes as a result of tribal casinos seeing less business while consumers turn to these tabs as an enjoyable option. That now has tribes raising an alarm.
“It’s no small thing for us,” said Mark Fox, Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, It’s of dire concern, at a minimum.”
Each of the five tribal nations in the state has its own casino facility. They have long been a great destination for residents and tourists alike, but these electronic tabs have given consumers a choice. This has caused many within the tribal nations to sound the alarm about the future revenues of these casinos.
Casinos “are very delicate entities crucial to the survival of our tribes,” said Scott Davis, the executive director of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission. “Without them, things would be really tough — tougher than they are now.”