Tribal gaming contributions to the state fell nearly 10 percent in fiscal 2010 as the Great Recession cut into traffic at Arizona’s casinos.
The Arizona Department of Gaming announced Wednesday that tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund were $77.9 million for the fiscal year 2010 ended June 30. That’s a decrease of 9.9 percent from 2009.
The Arizona Department of Gaming, in partnership with Arizona’s tribes, regulates Indian gaming. Under the Arizona Tribal-Sate Gaming Compacts, tribes with casinos contribute 1 to 8 percent of their Class III gross gaming revenue to the state, cities, towns and counties.
In Arizona, Class III gaming includes slot machines, jackpot poker, blackjack, keno and off-track pari-mutuel betting. There are 22 Class III casinos in the state. Tribes send contributions to the State Arizona Benefits Fund every three months.
“We are seeing similar decreases in other gaming jurisdictions as well,” said Mark Brnovich, director of the Arizona Department of Gaming. “There is no doubt that the state of the economy continues to affect us all.”
The annual tribal contributions in the State Arizona Benefits Fund will be distributed as follows:
• Instructional improvement/education: $38,267,751
• Trauma and emergency services: $19,133,875
• Arizona Department of Gaming operating costs: $8,000,000
• Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund: $5,466,822
• State tourism fund: $5,466,822
• Problem gambling education, treatment and prevention: $1,557,862
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