WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today issued the following statement after the Senate approved the nomination of E. Sequoyah Simermeyer as the Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC).
“The Senate has confirmed Mr. Simermeyer, which will enable him to continue the work of regulating and monitoring tribal gaming,” said Hoeven. “Mr. Simermeyer’s legal experience and knowledge of Indian gaming enables him to effectively oversee the NIGC and uphold the integrity of the commission.”
The NIGC has jurisdiction over 512 licensed gaming establishments operated by 246 Indian Tribes in 29 States. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, tribal gaming revenues were approximately $33.7 billion, the highest in Indian gaming history. The NIGC currently has approximately 114 full-time employees in seven regional offices with an annual budget of $25 million in FY 2019. The NIGC budget is funded through fees paid by tribal gaming operations and can be up to 0.080% of gross gaming revenue pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
The Committee has jurisdiction to consider the nomination of the NIGC Chair and approved Mr. Simermeyer’s nomination on July 31, 2019.
For more information on the NIGC, click here.
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