The majority of U.S. states allow casinos to operate on tribal land within the state borders.
Tribal casino general managers, also known as gaming managers, are responsible for the operation of casinos located on tribal land. Because few states--Nevada and New Jersey being the major exceptions--allow unrestricted commercial gaming establishments directly on state-governed land, the majority of casinos in the United States are considered tribal casinos. The salary range for a tribal casino gaming manager is largely determined by location of employment and experience.
Tribal Casino General Manager Salaries
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the 2009 median salary for tribal casino general managers at $67,380 per year. The bottom 10 percent earned $40,640 per year while the top 10 percent earned $115,420 per year.
Job Opportunities By State
Due to state-specific gaming regulations, only 24 states had sufficient numbers of casino managers to estimate employment opportunities in 2009. Estimated employment opportunities for casino managers in the top ten states were: Nevada 590; California 330; Mississippi 200; New Jersey 190; Washington 180; Louisiana 140; Minnesota 140; Oklahoma 140; Indiana 130; and Arizona 130. The majority of positions in Nevada and New Jersey were in commercial, rather than tribal, casinos; but in the remaining states most gaming managers worked in tribal operations.
State Differences in Salaries
Tribal casino general manager salaries also differed across the country. Excluding Nevada and New Jersey--in which most gaming managers work for commercial rather than tribal casinos--the top five states in terms of pay for casino managers were: Missouri ($95,280); Pennsylvania ($94,110); California ($87,370); Indiana ($79,760); and New Mexico ($73,610). The bottom five states were: Minnesota ($60,110); Idaho ($58,680); West Virginia ($58,650); South Dakota ($58,630); and Oklahoma ($48,190).
Regulation of Tribal Casino Managers
Because of a complex legal relationship between tribal casinos and the states in which they are located, tribal casino employees are subject to federal, state and tribal regulation. In addition to standard employment background checks conducted by the tribal casino, managers are also required to obtain a state-specific gaming license and pass national background checks. Casino managers are also subject to periodic drug tests and financial scrutiny.
