So you've got this vicious cycle of constantly having to raise the ante and increase the hype in the marketing. You reach a threshold, and for the hard-core gambler what used to excite, no longer does. And you now need to raise the level of excitement to achieve the same level they experienced a year or two earlier. Despite the convenience and pervasiveness of lotteries, it is casinos that take in the largest chunk of gambling revenues. Regular casinos account for 40 percent of gambling revenues, while Native American establishments chip in another 13 percent.
Casinos are the fastest-growing form of gambling.
Tribal gambling, found in two dozen states, has been growing rapidly since 1987, complicated by the fact that reservations are off limits to state and local laws. Riverboat casinos, which didn't exist before 1991, now are located in 11 states. Gaining acceptance Gambling has gained respectability after a relaxation of laws. For instance, Missouri and Illinois dropped requirements last year that riverboats had to be functional. California voters in March sanctioned Indian tribes to operate slot machines and card games on reservations.