The nationwide closures of casinos during the coronavirus pandemic have dealt a devastating blow to many Native American tribes relying on these enterprises as their main sources of income.
To protect people's health in tribes with limited medical resources, some 500 Native American casinos have closed voluntarily. The U.S. government authorized $8 billion for tribes in athis past March, but the distribution of that money has been a slow process.
A sign last month indicating that the new Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash., owned by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, has been closed for the time being. Furloughed workers had been getting by with unemployment benefits and health coverage that many casinos kept in place, said John DelMonte, the president of UAW Local 2121, a union representing 1,200 card dealers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino inWhile the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has announced it's losing millions of dollars a week, protecting workers has been paramount. DelMonte said the tribe was listening to state officials as it decided when to reopen.
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