Tribal gaming to be featured at Southern Gaming Summit

BILOXI, Miss. (April 10, 2007) — The amazing growth of tribal government gaming, on and off of existing American Indian reservations, will be explored in a series of panels at the 14th annual Southern Gaming Summit, May 9-10, at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center here.

Tribal casinos, which are now located in 30 states, represent the fastest-growing segment of the legal gambling industry, generating nearly $30 billion a year in revenue, most of which is being used to provide government services to American Indian tribes.

But the spread of tribal gaming is having a major impact on non-Indian communities and the commercial gambling industry. And the controversy surrounding the development of casinos off existing reservations is generating headlines throughout the country, including the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which is struggling to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“This year’s Summit will explore in depth the growth of tribal gaming and the potential impact new and expanded gambling in Florida, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and other states may have on Mississippi,” said Beverly Martin, executive director of the Mississippi Casino Operations Association, producer of the Summit along with Ascend Media Gaming Group.

“Perhaps most importantly, we will offer a panel of experts who will explain the controversial and complex issue of off-reservation gambling, which has become a very hot topic for residents of Harrison and Jackson counties.”

The off-reservation panel will include officials with the U.S. Department of Interior, National Indian Gaming Association and representatives of tribal governments closely involved with the ongoing debate in Congress. In addition, one of the keynote speakers will be John Tahsuda, outgoing majority counsel and staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

The Summit also features many other timely sessions, including tracks dedicated to Gulf Coast recovery and rebirth, slot technologies and gaming law.

Recognizing the importance of the conference, several leading industry vendors have signed on as sponsors, including Advanced Electronic Systems, Inc., Aristocrat, Bally Technologies, Gaming Laboratories International, Global Cash Access, IGT, IP Casino Resort Spa, JCM American, Konami Gaming, Las Vegas Gaming Inc., Shuffle Master, Spielo, Vending Data Corp. and WMS Gaming.

The Southern Gaming Summit is the largest gaming trade show held outside of Las Vegas, and provides an unmatched local voice for the industry. For a complete speaker list and up-to-date information, please visit www.sgsummit.com.

Media Contact: Beverly Martin, Executive Director, Mississippi Casino Operators Association; WINMCOA@aol.com or (228) 388-0087.