<PAGE>   1


   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2001
                         REGISTRATION NO. 333-_________


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                    INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    MINNESOTA
                            ------------------------
                            (State of incorporation)


                                   41-1713864
                        ---------------------------------
                        (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                            333 ORVILLE WRIGHT COURT
                             LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89119
                    ----------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


                        1997 DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION PLAN
                        --------------------------------
                              (Full title of plan)


                                  LOREN A. PIEL
                    INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
                            333 ORVILLE WRIGHT COURT
                             LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89119
                    ----------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)


                                 (702) 614-7199
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)


                                   Copies to:

                             DOUGLAS T. HOLOD, ESQ.
                            PAUL D. CHESTOVICH, ESQ.
                       MASLON EDELMAN BORMAN & BRAND, LLP
                             3300 WELLS FARGO CENTER
                           MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-4140
                                 (612) 672-8200

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

TITLE OF                      PROPOSED MAXIMUM                                 PROPOSED MAXIMUM
OF SECURITIES TO BE           AMOUNT TO BE              OFFERING PRICE         AGGREGATE
REGISTERED                    REGISTERED (1)            PER SHARE (1)          OFFERING PRICE (1)           FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                       <C>                    <C>                        <C>
Common Stock ($0.01 par             200,000                  $ .96                  $192,000              $48.00
value per share)                    Shares
===================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)      Estimated solely for purposes of computing the registration fee in
         accordance with Rule 457(h) and (c) and based upon the average of the
         high and low prices of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market
         System on September 17, 2001.



<PAGE>   2


                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and
Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof:

         (a)      The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the SEC on April 10,
                  2001;

         (b)      The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
                  quarters ended March 31, 2001, and June 30, 2001, as filed
                  with SEC on May 21, 2001 and August 14, 2001, respectively;

         (c)      The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the
                  SEC on August 23, 2001, June 19, 2001, May 11, 2001, April 27,
                  2001, and February 14, 2001;

         (e)      The description of the Company's Common Stock included under
                  the caption "Securities to be Registered" in the Company's
                  registration statement on Form 8-A, as filed on September 27,
                  1993, including any amendments or reports filed for the
                  purpose of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment indicating that all securities offered have
been sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.

         The Company is governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 302A. Minnesota
Statutes Section 302A.521 provides that a corporation shall indemnify any person
made or threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by reason of the former
or present official capacity of such person against judgments, penalties, and
fines, including without limitation excise taxes assessed against such person
with respect to an employee-benefit plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses
including attorneys' fees and disbursements incurred by such person in
connection with the proceeding, if, with respect to the acts or omissions of
such person complained of in the proceeding, such person has not been
indemnified by another organization or employee-benefit plan for the same
expenses with respect to the same acts or omissions; acted in good faith;
received no improper personal benefit and Section 302A.255, if applicable, has
been satisfied; in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to
believe the conduct was unlawful; and in the case of acts or omissions by
persons in their official capacity for the corporation, reasonably believed that
the conduct was in the best interests of the corporation, or in the case of acts
or omissions by persons in their capacity for other organizations, reasonably
believed that the conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation.




                                       2


<PAGE>   3


ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

         4(a)     Articles of Incorporation of the Company as Amended
                  (incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 3.1 to the
                  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No.
                  33-61492C));

         4(b)     Bylaws of the Company (incorporated herein by reference as
                  Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
                  SB-2 (File No. 33-61492C);

         5        Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP;

         23(a)    Consent of Kafoury, Armstrong & Co.;

         23(b)    Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (contained in
                  Exhibit 5); and

         24       Power of Attorney (contained on Signature Page hereof).


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)      To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
                  made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
                  statement:

                  (i)      to include any prospectus required by Section
                           10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii)     to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                           arising after the effective date of the registration
                           statement (or the most recent post-effective
                           amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
                           aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                           information set forth in the registration statement.
                           Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
                           decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
                           total dollar value of securities offered would not
                           exceed that which was registered) and any deviation
                           from the low or high and of the estimated maximum
                           offering range may be reflected in the form of
                           prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
                           424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
                           and price represent no more than a 20 percent change
                           in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in
                           the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the
                           effective registration statement; and

                  (iii)    to include any material information with respect to
                           the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
                           the registration statement or any material change to
                           such information in the registration statement;

         (2)      That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
                  Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment
                  shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to
                  the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
                  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
                  fide offering thereof; and

         (3)      To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
                  amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
                  unsold at the termination of the offering.



                                       3
<PAGE>   4


         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
         determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing
         of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
         the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing
         of an employee-benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d)
         of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by
         reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new
         registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
         the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
         initial bona fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling
         persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
         In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
         (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid
         by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the
         successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by
         such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the
         securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion
         of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
         submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
         indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                       4


<PAGE>   5


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized in the City of Las Vegas, State of Nevada, as of September 18, 2001.


                                       INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION
                                       OF AMERICA


                                       By: /s/ Roland M. Thomas
                                          --------------------------------------
                                           Name:    Roland M. Thomas
                                           Title:   Chief Executive Officer,
                                                    Chief Financial Officer,
                                                    and Secretary


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         We, the undersigned officers and directors of Innovative Gaming
Corporation of America hereby severally constitute Roland M. Thomas as our true
and lawful attorney with full power to him to sign for us and in our names, in
the capacities indicated below the registration statement filed herewith and any
amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things
in our name and behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable
Innovative Gaming Corporation of America to comply with the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933 as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may
be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement
and any and all amendments thereto.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933,
this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and as of the date indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                                                 TITLE                                   DATED AS OF
----                                                 -----                                   -----------
<S>                                                  <C>                                     <C>
  /s/  Ronald A. Johnson                             Director                                September 18, 2001
------------------------------------
Ronald A. Johnson

------------------------------------                 Director
Andrew Tottenham

  /s/  Thomas Foley                                  Director                                September 18, 2001
------------------------------------
Thomas Foley

  /s/  Roland M. Thomas                              Director, Chairman of the               September 18, 2001
-------------------------------------------          Board, Chief Executive Officer,
Roland M. Thomas                                     and Chief Financial Officer
</TABLE>




                                       5

<PAGE>   6


EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NUMBER                                  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
--------------                                  ----------------------
<S>                                             <C>
    5                                           Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP

    23(a)                                       Consent of Kafoury, Armstrong & Co.

    23(b)                                       Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (contained in Exhibit 5)

    24                                          Power of Attorney (contained on Signature Page hereof)
</TABLE>




                                       6
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "INNOVATIVE GAMING CORP OF AMERICA", "cik": "0000897795", "assigned-sic": "3990", "irs-number": "411713864", "state-of-incorporation": "MN", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-69538", "film-number": "1739486"}, "business-address": {"street1": "333 ORVILLE WRIGHT COURT", "city": "LAS VEGAS", "state": "NV", "zip": "89119", "phone": "7758233000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "333 ORVILLE WRIGHT COURT", "city": "LAS VEGAS", "state": "NV", "zip": "89119"}}
1

   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2001
                         REGISTRATION NO. 333-_________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                    INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    MINNESOTA
                            ------------------------
                            (State of incorporation)

                                   41-1713864
                        ---------------------------------
                        (IRS Employer Identification No.)

                            333 ORVILLE WRIGHT COURT
                             LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89119
                    ----------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                        1997 DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION PLAN
                        --------------------------------
                              (Full title of plan)

                                  LOREN A. PIEL
                    INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
                            333 ORVILLE WRIGHT COURT
                             LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89119
                    ----------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (702) 614-7199
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                             DOUGLAS T. HOLOD, ESQ.
                            PAUL D. CHESTOVICH, ESQ.
                       MASLON EDELMAN BORMAN & BRAND, LLP
                             3300 WELLS FARGO CENTER
                           MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-4140
                                 (612) 672-8200
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

TITLE OF                      PROPOSED MAXIMUM                                 PROPOSED MAXIMUM
OF SECURITIES TO BE           AMOUNT TO BE              OFFERING PRICE         AGGREGATE
REGISTERED                    REGISTERED (1)            PER SHARE (1)          OFFERING PRICE (1)           FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock ($0.01 par             200,000                  $ .96                  $192,000              $48.00
value per share)                    Shares
===================================================================================================================
(1)      Estimated solely for purposes of computing the registration fee in
         accordance with Rule 457(h) and (c) and based upon the average of the
         high and low prices of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market
         System on September 17, 2001.
2

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and
Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof:

         (a)      The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the SEC on April 10,
                  2001;

         (b)      The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
                  quarters ended March 31, 2001, and June 30, 2001, as filed
                  with SEC on May 21, 2001 and August 14, 2001, respectively;

         (c)      The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the
                  SEC on August 23, 2001, June 19, 2001, May 11, 2001, April 27,
                  2001, and February 14, 2001;

         (e)      The description of the Company's Common Stock included under
                  the caption "Securities to be Registered" in the Company's
                  registration statement on Form 8-A, as filed on September 27,
                  1993, including any amendments or reports filed for the
                  purpose of updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment indicating that all securities offered have
been sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.

         The Company is governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 302A. Minnesota
Statutes Section 302A.521 provides that a corporation shall indemnify any person
made or threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by reason of the former
or present official capacity of such person against judgments, penalties, and
fines, including without limitation excise taxes assessed against such person
with respect to an employee-benefit plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses
including attorneys' fees and disbursements incurred by such person in
connection with the proceeding, if, with respect to the acts or omissions of
such person complained of in the proceeding, such person has not been
indemnified by another organization or employee-benefit plan for the same
expenses with respect to the same acts or omissions; acted in good faith;
received no improper personal benefit and Section 302A.255, if applicable, has
been satisfied; in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to
believe the conduct was unlawful; and in the case of acts or omissions by
persons in their official capacity for the corporation, reasonably believed that
the conduct was in the best interests of the corporation, or in the case of acts
or omissions by persons in their capacity for other organizations, reasonably
believed that the conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation.

                                       2
3

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

         4(a)     Articles of Incorporation of the Company as Amended
                  (incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 3.1 to the
                  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No.
                  33-61492C));

         4(b)     Bylaws of the Company (incorporated herein by reference as
                  Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
                  SB-2 (File No. 33-61492C);

         5        Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP;

         23(a)    Consent of Kafoury, Armstrong & Co.;

         23(b)    Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (contained in
                  Exhibit 5); and

         24       Power of Attorney (contained on Signature Page hereof).

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)      To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
                  made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
                  statement:

                  (i)      to include any prospectus required by Section
                           10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii)     to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                           arising after the effective date of the registration
                           statement (or the most recent post-effective
                           amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
                           aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                           information set forth in the registration statement.
                           Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
                           decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
                           total dollar value of securities offered would not
                           exceed that which was registered) and any deviation
                           from the low or high and of the estimated maximum
                           offering range may be reflected in the form of
                           prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
                           424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
                           and price represent no more than a 20 percent change
                           in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in
                           the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the
                           effective registration statement; and

                  (iii)    to include any material information with respect to
                           the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
                           the registration statement or any material change to
                           such information in the registration statement;

         (2)      That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
                  Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment
                  shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to
                  the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
                  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
                  fide offering thereof; and

         (3)      To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
                  amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
                  unsold at the termination of the offering.

                                       3
4

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
         determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing
         of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
         the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing
         of an employee-benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d)
         of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by
         reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new
         registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
         the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
         initial bona fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling
         persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
         In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
         (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid
         by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the
         successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by
         such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the
         securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion
         of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
         submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
         indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
5

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized in the City of Las Vegas, State of Nevada, as of September 18, 2001.

                                       INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION
                                       OF AMERICA

                                       By: /s/ Roland M. Thomas
                                          --------------------------------------
                                           Name:    Roland M. Thomas
                                           Title:   Chief Executive Officer,
                                                    Chief Financial Officer,
                                                    and Secretary

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         We, the undersigned officers and directors of Innovative Gaming
Corporation of America hereby severally constitute Roland M. Thomas as our true
and lawful attorney with full power to him to sign for us and in our names, in
the capacities indicated below the registration statement filed herewith and any
amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things
in our name and behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable
Innovative Gaming Corporation of America to comply with the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933 as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may
be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement
and any and all amendments thereto.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933,
this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and as of the date indicated.
NAME                                                 TITLE                                   DATED AS OF
----                                                 -----                                   -----------
/s/  Ronald A. Johnson                             Director                                September 18, 2001
------------------------------------
Ronald A. Johnson

------------------------------------                 Director
Andrew Tottenham

  /s/  Thomas Foley                                  Director                                September 18, 2001
------------------------------------
Thomas Foley

  /s/  Roland M. Thomas                              Director, Chairman of the               September 18, 2001
-------------------------------------------          Board, Chief Executive Officer,
Roland M. Thomas                                     and Chief Financial Officer
5
6

EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT NUMBER                                  DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
--------------                                  ----------------------
5                                           Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP

    23(a)                                       Consent of Kafoury, Armstrong & Co.

    23(b)                                       Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP (contained in Exhibit 5)

    24                                          Power of Attorney (contained on Signature Page hereof)
6