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Oklahoma tribes mark $1B milestone in gaming revenue sharing

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The Chickasaw Nation owns and operates the WinStar World Casino and Resort, in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Photo from Facebook

Oklahoma tribes have shared more than $1.1 billion in revenues with the state since 2006.

As of fiscal year 2014, tribes shared $979.7 million with the state. Now that figures from 2015 are out, the amount finally surpassed the $1.1 billion mark.

The milestone comes 11 years after voters approved the Class III gaming compact through State Question 712 in 2004. The agreement requires tribes to share 4 percent of the first $10 million in adjusted gross revenues, 5 percent of the next $10 million in AGR, and then 6 percent of all revenues over $20 million, The City Sentinel reported.

The fiscal year 2015 report from the Gaming Compliance Unit of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services showed that tribes shared $128.4 million in 2015, $122.6 million in 2014, $128.1 million in 2013, $123.9 million in 2012, $122.2 million in 2011, $118.2 million in 2010, $105.6 million in 2009, $81.4 million in 2008, $46.8 million in 2007 and $14.2 million in 2006.

Fiscal year 2014 was the only year when revenue sharing payments, as a whole, declined from the year prior. The situation has been attributed in part to the increase in Class II machines in the state.

"Available recent figures indicate the trend has continued with Class II machines growing as a percentage of total machines," the 2015 report states.

The Chickasaw Nation, the tribe with the most gaming facilities in Oklahoma and the U.S., shared $45.4 million in fiscal year 2015, the largest amount. No other tribe came close -- the Choctaw Nation ranked second with nearly $21 million.

Get the Story:
In under a decade, tribal gaming boosted Oklahoma state government revenues $1 billion (The City Sentinel 10/14)

An Opinion:
Pat Croft: Economic effect of tribal gaming is significant in state, U.S. (The Tulsa World 10/15)