They are taxpayers instead of tax users. Local and state governments are enjoying increased tax revenues. Indian Gaming is now a 7.4 billion dollar industry according to the National Indian Gaming Commission. Indian gaming creates jobs, increases economic activity and generates tax revenue both on and off the reservation. In addition, they spend many more millions per year for goods and services - almost all locally.
Many reservations are in remote, inconvenient locations on land that nobody else wanted.
Before tribal gaming, there had been little successful public or private sector economic development on reservations. The Federal Government has not been successful in economic development on reservations. The states have not proposed any specific or credible alternatives to Indian gaming as a meaningful source of tribal revenues and jobs. However, tribal governments are using the gaming proceeds to diversify and conduct other economic enterprises. Public opinion, both nationally and within various states, conclusively demonstrate that the public strongly supports gaming on Indian reservations.