Our first-ever “Gaming” issue and fifth edition of Native Business Magazine pays tribute to the powerful economic engine that is gaming. Our cover subject — Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis — shares with Native Business readers how the Community’s self-managed gaming operations support self-reliance. In an insightful Point of View piece for Native Business, Ernest L. Stevens, NIGA Chairman, underscores the monumental impact of gaming on Tribal self-sufficiency and how gaming empowers Tribes to “take control of the future of their communities.” In our feature “Gaming on the Plains,” Native Business examines the positive influence of rural casinos on Tribal and local economies. We also speak with Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. We take a look into casino safety, speak with one of the first entrepreneurs in Tribal gaming, look into a popular promotional tactic across the casino industry: free-play. Read these and many other articles in our April issue!