In Michigan, eight tribal casinos saw yearly decline in gaming payments in 2022

The reported gaming payments at eight separate Michigan tribal casinos went down in 2022.

The 23 MI tribal casinos reported a 2.2% reduction in total reported payments to local organisations from 2021, according to the 2022 Tribal Gaming Report published by the MGCB.

The MGCB publishes data on the payments tribes make to regional state agencies based on slot income from their Class III machines each year. That amount equates to around 2% of the casino's total net gain for the year. It is the sole public knowledge of Michigan's yearly income from tribal casinos.

23 of the 26 casinos in the state are tribal ones. The retail casinos in Detroit must provide monthly income reports, as must all Michigan online casinos, including those operated by tribal partners. The casinos in Detroit also saw a modest decline in 2022. Detroit casinos recorded total monthly revenue of $119.2 million dollars in March 2023.

Tribal casino payouts in Michigan decreased by 2% from 2021

The 2% payment computation approximately predicts yearly slot income at tribal casinos. The payouts and total net wins, however, might be impacted by a multitude of variables. According to a statement the MGCB sent to PlayMichigan, those elements can vary between each tribe.

For instance, the tribes have different methods for accounting for free play wagers when reporting their yearly net wins. The yearly tribal report does not account for the money generated from the Class II machines that numerous tribes have in their casinos.

These establishments are typically smaller than the likes of DraftKings, which reported revenue of $502 million for Q3 of 2022, but this tax income and tax revenue is still vital to the state.

Michigan tribes gave $30.8 million to regional governments in 2022. From $31.5 million in 2021, that is a modest decrease.

Michigan tribal casinos that saw the biggest decline in 2022

Eight out of the 12 tribal gaming businesses in the state witnessed a decrease in their 2% payments from 2021.

Four out of the eight that experienced the greatest drops were:

●      Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians: The three Hartford, Dowagiac, and New Buffalo Four Winds Casinos had a combined 8.9% drop. Of the 12 tribes, this was the biggest dip in revenue.

●      Lake Superior's Desert Band of Lac Vieux Chippewa Indians: From 2021 to 2022, revenues at Watersmeet's Northern Waters Casino Resort dropped by 6.1%. Of the 12 tribes, it also received the least in collective payments ($273,875).

●      The tribe that runs the Ojibwa Casinos in Baraga and Marquette, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, saw a 3.8% decline.

●      Owners of the Odawa Casinos in Mackinaw City and Petoskey, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa Indians, had a combined loss of 3.3% from 2021.