Senators Barrasso and McCain Highlight Troubling Findings in GAO Report on Indian Gaming

Press Release

U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) highlighted a report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) entitled: "Indian Gaming: Regulation and Oversight by the Federal Government, States, and Tribes."

In the report, GAO finds that federal regulators at the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) are not effectively promoting voluntary compliance with federal guidelines concerning the proper handling of money, accuracy of financial statements, and security requirements at Indian casinos.

"This new report calls for improvements in the Commission's methods in maintaining the integrity of the gaming system," said Chairman Barrasso. "The NIGC should find more effective methods that will ensure all facets of gaming are conducted with accountability and accuracy."

"The primary role of NIGC is to maintain the health and integrity of Indian gaming for the benefit of Indian tribes," said Senator John McCain. "If NIGC continues to rely on Indian casinos to voluntarily comply with federal guidelines, then the Commission must at least improve its state and tribal training and consultation initiatives and develop metrics that assess their effectiveness."

Other findings from the GAO report include:

· NIGC auditors reported that a quarter of all Indian gaming operations were a "high audit risk;"

· The NIGC has undertaken very few enforcement actions, such as issuing violation notices, since 2010;

· Indian gaming has grown to a $28 billion annual industry, up from $3 billion in gross revenues in 1995;

· Approximately 80% of all Indian gaming operations include class III gaming (Las Vegas-style games); and

· The NIGC's budget, which is funded by fees collected from tribes, has grown from $3.3 million in 1995 to $19 million in 2015.

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