The financial crisis continues to affect gaming contributions of tribal casino facilities to the state of Arizona. The Arizona Department of Gaming said on August 3rd, 2009 that contributions to Arizona from gaming revenue will be roughly $23.5 million for the quarter ended June 30th. That is a 9.4% decrease from the same period last year.
Mark Brnovich, the director of Arizona Department of Gaming said that there are no big surprises with the results. He said that the present condition is affecting all of us but tribal gambling operations continue to produce reliable funding for important Arizona programs.
The quarterly tribal contributions in the Arizona Benefits Fund will be divided to the Instructional Improvement Fund/Education ($11,737,945), Trauma and Emergency Services Fund ($5,868,972), Arizona Department of Gaming Operating costs ($2,119,613), Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund ($1,676,849), State Tourism Fund ($1,676,849) and Problem Gambling Education, Treatment and Prevention ($471,025). The Arizona Department of Gaming, in collaboration with Arizona's tribes, regulates tribal gaming.
Under the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact, tribes, with casino facilities contribute one to eight percent of their Class III gross gaming earnings to the state, towns, cities and counties. In the state of Arizona, Class II gaming includes keno, blackjack, slot machines, jackpot poker and off-track pari-mutuel wagering. There are currently twenty-two Class III casinos in Arizona.
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John Sullivan
