Indian Casinos Pull In Record Monies

Tuesday, June 5th 2007, 6:41 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal figures show American Indian gambling pulled in $25 billion in 2006, 11% more than the year before as the industry's explosive growth outpaced Las Vegas. The figures released Monday were compiled from 387 tribal facilities in 28 states, including Oklahoma, and show Indian gambling revenue has nearly doubled in five years.

The National Indian Gaming Commission says Indian casinos brought in $12.8 billion from gambling in 2001, $22.5 billion in 2005 and $25.1 billion in 2006.

Most of the growth has come since 1988 when Congress passed a law creating the legal framework for Indian gambling.

The law let Indian tribes, with the consent of a state's governor, run slot machines and other profitable games on their reservations not allowed elsewhere in the state.