This point is so compelling that the Hopis in Arizona have rejected gaming as a source of revenue because they do not believe that economic diversification and adherence to tribal practices can co-exist. Still others see gaming as the only method of breaking through the mire of poverty and achieving self-sufficiency. Progress can only be made with risk. But at what cost is the issue this nation's indigenous people must address. Native gaming is the first and only economic development tool that has ever worked on reservations, Hill says.
Myriad examples show how it benefits people.
While there is no clear-cut answer for tribes participating in or considering gambling, there is evidence that improvements are being made in everyday life. Putting in a new sewer line or using a telephone to call a friend back East may be routine to most Americans, but to many Native Americans, these are newfound luxuries. Maybe introducing these services will result in a healthier, better-prepared people, who are more accustomed to success and more equipped for survival. Back to the top of this page.