Aristocrat Gaming, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of casino games as part of Aristocrat Leisure, has made a $500,000 donation to The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES).
The donation will power a few different AISES projects, such as the Resources for Indigenous STEM Education (RISE) Fund.
Designed to support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and careers for Indigenous students and professionals alike, the RISE Fund provides access to programming resources for those looking to join the gaming industry.
In addition, the donation from Aristocrat will also go towards student scholarships, internships and other workplace development opportunities.
Sarah EchoHawk, AISES President, said: "We are honoured by the relationship with Aristocrat Gaming and our mutual commitment to propel more Indigenous people to STEM education and careers.
"The company's efforts are extraordinary—by sharing our collective story and engaging the gaming industry, we hope to enact real change in Indigenous STEM representation."
The AISES scholarship fund currently supports 20 students who are pursuing Casino Gaming degrees around the US.
As well as its initial donation, Aristocrat Gaming will also provide $30,000 towards the annual AISES conference events.
James Starr, President of VGT, an Aristocrat Gaming company, said: "As a valued partner of ours for over six years, we are elated to further our relationship with AISES to intentionally invest in the gaming industry's future workforce, helping to open up access to STEM education and career opportunities for Indigenous peoples."
In a report published at the end of July, it was found that tribal gaming revenue broke records during FY2022 at $40.9bn.
