A conference in Arizona examined the impact of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 20 years after its passage in 1988.

More than 200 tribal leaders, federal officials and lobbyists attended Indian Country's Winning Hand: 20 Years of IGRA, GamblingCompliance Ltd reported. While the Indian gaming industry has grown to $26 billion in annual revenues, speakers said not everyone has benefited equally.

“Just a handful of tribes make the lion’s share of the $26B," said Phil Hogen, chairman of theNational Indian Gaming Commission.

Virginia Boylan, a lobbyist who worked on IGRA in 1988, said the law has created “a field day for the lobbyists" in the nation's capitol. She said the law's biggest victims are tribes that weren't recognized before its passage.

“During the eight years of the current Bush administration there have been 13 denials and only two acknowledgements. The reason for that is gaming – at least three of those I know of were to do with gaming," she said.

George Skibine, the temporary head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said gaming has caused divisions in Indian Country. “A very unfortunate consequence of IGRA is that it has led to disagreements between tribes," he said.

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IGRA And Its Discontents (GamblingCompliance Ltd 10/20)
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