Osage Tribal Gaming began at the Pawhuska Wakon Iron facility in 2000. Currently, the Million Dollar Elm Casino (MDEC) is the company which operates Osage gaming. MDEC in turn reports to the Osage Tribe Gaming Enterprise Board which is a governing body created by the Osage Tribal Council.
Indian gaming was initially conceived to create jobs for Native Americans in areas of relatively high unemployment and low income. Tribal gaming is regulated by federal law which states, A tribe shall use net revenues from any tribal gaming for one or more of the following purposes:
- To fund tribal government or programs
- To provide for the general welfare of the tribe and its members
- To promote tribal economic development
- To donate to charitable organizations; or
- To help fund operations of local government agencies of the Osage Nation.