New York Gaming Commission is proposing for a study to be carried out to evaluate the impact of equalizing tax revenue for commercial casino operators and tribal casino operators in the State.
The commission has asked for an extensive analysis of the state gaming sector, which includes the consequences that might arise from equalizing the tribal and commercial casino taxes. This move is unlikely to be welcomed by the Indian Gaming Authority.
Currently, tribal casinos in NY pay less compared to the four commercial casinos in the state. However, equalizing revenue taxes will not necessarily mean hiking taxes for the tribe.
Tribal Casinos
The tribal casinos are not obligated to pay taxes in the US. Under the Indian Gaming Regulation Acts, it’s illegal to request taxes from tribal casinos. However, the federal law stipulates that tribal casinos pay a cut of slots revenue of 25 percent. After making those payments, tribal operators can run class three casino games in their native land and are assured of exclusivity.
Commercial Casinos Begging for Lifeline
Commercial casinos in NY are finding it challenging to attain the target they were predicting when applying for the licenses. Some of them are under bankruptcy protection due to poor credit rating. According to Casino.org the four commercial operators are complaining of unfair competition from the tribal operators since they are not at the same level. They are required to pay 37 or 45 percent on slots revenue and 10 percent on table games. The four commercial operators are requesting for tax cut in order to operate favorably.
