Robert Miguel to chair Arizona Indian Gaming Association

Robert Miguel, chairman of the Ak-Chin Indian Community, was elected chair of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association during a recent meeting at the Hon-Dah Resort Casino & Conference Center in Pinetop, Arizona.

“I am honored to have been elected chair of AIGA,” Miguel said in a news release. “In 2021, Tribal Gaming employed more than 20,000 Arizonans. This industry has been the most successful economic venture of Tribes in Arizona and nationwide. As chair, I am dedicated to upholding the organization’s commitment to advancing the lives of Indian people and helping achieve their goal of self-reliance.”

AIGA supports Indian gaming in Arizona by advocating, educating, partnering, and promoting Tribal government gaming to benefit Tribes and all of Arizona.

Miguel, a lifelong resident of Maricopa, started out as a farm laborer and gone on to take various roles within the Ak-Chin Indian Community, including working as a photojournalist for the Ak-Chin O’odham Runner for more than 20 years before his election to the Tribal Council.

In addition to serving his community as chairman, Miguel serves the Native American Rights Fund board of directors as the first vice president of the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona. He also serves on the board of the Maricopa Economic Development Association. He recently chaired Arizonans for Tribal Government Gaming, an organization that serves as a collective political voice for its Member Tribes.

Tribal Gaming has provided employment, education, enhanced services and other economic development opportunities to its communities.  Shared revenue contributions from Tribal Gaming have benefited the Arizona Benefits Fund by $1.82 billion since 2003.

“For this reason, our efforts as an association must be united to continue to protect Indian Gaming, an industry that is great for Tribes and Arizona,” Miguel stated.