Week 5- Casinos

In recent news, The Illinois Gaming Board decided to build a casino in Des Plaines, Illinois near my hometown. As a result I was curious to find out what role American Indians played in gambling enterprises and how much revenue is made. Indian Gaming enterprises include gambling businesses operated on Indian reservations or tribal land. Indian tribes have limited sovereignty over these businesses and are granted the ability to establish gambling enterprises outside of direct state regulation. After the federal government gave more control over economic development some began operating gaming places. Yet, only 90 of 557 nation’s tribes are involved in gaming. The positive factors of casinos for Indian Americans are population increase and an increase in available jobs. Also, tribes use their profits for the better of the reservation and its people. They are building schools/colleges and community centers, setting up education trust funds/scholarships, and investing in alcohol and drug treatment programs. Negative factors include a higher crime rate and increase in bankruptcies. As for the casino in Des Plaines, most of the revenue will go to the city for improvements in education and fixing up the city.