Achieving Tribal Gaming Regulatory Excellence: A Narrative Analysis Using Indigenous Persons Methodology

Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Committee Chair

John Nadalin

Committee Member

Tonia Young-Babb

Committee Member

Steven Hess

Abstract

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988 enabled Native American Tribes to operate high-stakes gambling casinos, leading to 244 Tribes participating in casino gaming by 2022 and generating $40.9 billion in gross gaming revenue. Tribal gaming regulators face the task of examining a range of complex factors to ensure effective regulation, which, while not aimed at profit generation, can have an indirect effect on casino profitability. This relationship underscores the shared practices between Tribal regulatory agencies and casino enterprises. Despite the critical role of these agencies, there is a noticeable gap in academic research on the regulatory practices and performance of Tribal Gaming Regulatory Agencies (TGRAs). This qualitative study investigates the factors influencing TGRA actions and practices, with the goal of supporting high-performance and quality regulatory outcomes. Adopting a qualitative approach, the study uses "Two-Eyed seeing," which combines Indigenous and Western perspectives through interviews with fourteen active Tribal Gaming Regulators (TGRs) across eight U.S. regional districts under the National Indian Gaming Commission's authority. The integration of Western academic research with Tribal regulators' insights aims to offer useful recommendations for TGRs working toward regulatory effectiveness. Keywords: Indigenous, Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, regulatory excellence, Tribal Gaming Regulator (TGR), Tribal Gaming Regulatory Agency (TGRA), Two-Eyed seeing (TES)

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