Tribal economic impact: $23.4 billion and 55,000 jobs in Oklahoma, according to report

A new report from United for Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association is looking into the Tribal economic impact in the state.

The new report shows Oklahoma's Tribal Nations contributed $23.4 billion to Oklahoma's economy in 2023.

It showed Tribes employed more than 55,000 Oklahomans directly and supported a total of nearly 140,000 across the State.

The report highlights significant tribal contributions to health care, public education and workforce development in 2023:

1.  Tribes spent $582 million providing health services to Oklahomans with over 3.5 million unique patient visits.
2. Through gaming compacts between tribal governments and the state, tribes submit a percentage of their Class III gaming revenues for the exclusive right to operate gaming in the state. In 2023, tribes sent $208 million in exclusivity fees to the state — a 36% increase since 2019. More than $177 million of the fees went to fund public education across Oklahoma.
3. When combined with the education portion of exclusivity fees, tribes delivered $351 million for Oklahoma education programs in 2023.

“The contributions of tribal nations to the Oklahoma’s success are substantial and enduring,” said Matt Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association. “Through our business enterprises and healthcare facilities, we support jobs in rural areas where economic opportunities are often limited. Tribal impact reaches far beyond employment. We invest in infrastructure, fund health care, champion public education, and deliver programs that meet critical community needs. We honor the legacy that brought us here and remain focused on building a bright future for all Oklahomans.”

The study was conducted by Oklahoma City University economics professor Dr. Kyle Dean.

Dr. Dean also serves as the director of the Center for Native American and Urban Studies at the University.

Dr. Dean says he used data from 19 Oklahoma-based tribes for the study.