<PAGE>   1





    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 14, 1997
                                                  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 or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                                   41-1713864
                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)

                               4750 TURBO CIRCLE
                              RENO, NEVADA  89502
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                        1997 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full title of Plan)

                              EDWARD G. STEVENSON
                    INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
                               4750 TURBO CIRCLE
                              RENO, NEVADA  89502
                                 (702) 823-3000
           (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                             DOUGLAS T. HOLOD, ESQ.
                         MASLON EDELMAN BORMAN & BRAND,
                  A PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP
                              3300 NORWEST CENTER
                          MINNEAPOLIS, MN  55402-4140
                                 (612) 672-8200

                       CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TITLE OF                                               PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM
OF SECURITIES TO BE               AMOUNT TO BE         OFFERING PRICE            AGGREGATE            AMOUNT OF
REGISTERED                        REGISTERED           PER SHARE(1)              OFFERING PRICE(1)    REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>                 <C>                        <C>                   <C>
 Common Stock                    100,000                   $4.875                 $487,500                  $168.10
 ($.01 par value per              shares
 share)

======================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)      Estimated solely for purposes of computing the registration fee in
         accordance with Rule 457(h) and based upon the average of the high and
         low prices of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ National Market System on
         October 9, 1997.


                                 Page 1 of 9


<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 contents of the Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996 and the amendment thereto on Form 10-K/A filed June 4, 1997.

    (b) The contents of the Registrant's Form 10-Q for the first quarter ended
March 31, 1997 and the Registrant's Form 10-Q for the second quarter ended June
30, 1997.

    (c) The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 No. 333-25481,
initially filed on June 7, 1997.

    All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters 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 Directors and Officers.

    The Registrant 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, fines, including, without limitation, excise taxes assessed against
such person with respect to an employee benefit plan, settlements, and
reasonable expenses, including attorney's 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.





                                  Page 2 of 9
<PAGE>   3

Item 8.  Exhibits.

    5.       Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional Limited
             Liability Partnership 
    23(1).   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP 
    23(2).   Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional Limited 
             Liability Partnership (contained in Exhibit 5).  
    24.      Power of Attorney (included on Page 5).

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 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
    offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
    the effective registration statement.

         (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;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference 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.

    (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.





                                  Page 3 of 9
<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.





                                  Page 4 of 9
<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 Reno, State of Nevada, on October 10, 1997.

                                INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA 
                                Registrant

                                By s/ Edward G. Stevenson
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                   Edward G. Stevenson
                                   President (Chief Executive Officer)





                                  Page 5 of 9
<PAGE>   6

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of Innovative Gaming
Corporation of America, hereby severally constitute Scott H. Shackelton, 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 on the date indicated.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NAME                                                  TITLE                                 DATE
----                                                  -----                                 ----
<S>                                        <C>                                       <C>


 s/ Edward G. Stevenson                    President, Chief Executive Officer        October 10, 1997
----------------------------------         and Director (principal executive                        
Edward G. Stevenson                        officer)                         
                                                   

 s/ Lyle Berman                            Director                                  October 10, 1997
----------------------------------                                                                  
Lyle Berman


 s/ Paul A. Bible                          Director                                  October 10, 1997
----------------------------------                                                                  
Paul A. Bible


                                           Director                                  October 10, 1997
----------------------------------                                                                  
Ronald R. Zideck


s/ Scott H. Shackelton                     Chief Financial Officer                   October 10, 1997
----------------------------------         (principal accounting officer)                           
Scott H. Shackelton                                                      
</TABLE>





                                  Page 6 of 9
<PAGE>   7

                                    EXHIBITS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number           Description of Exhibit                                   Page No.
<S>             <C>                                                               <C>
5.              Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional
                Limited Liability Partnership                                       7
23A.            Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP                                      8
23B.            Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional
                Limited Liability Partnership (contained in Exhibit 5).             7
24.             Power of Attorney (included on Page 5).                             5


</TABLE>




                                  Page 7 of 9
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 14693}]
{"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": "333-37813", "film-number": "97695130"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4750 TURBO CICLE", "street2": "SUITE 60", "city": "RENO", "state": "NV", "zip": "89502", "phone": "7028233000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "4750 TURBO CIRCLE", "street2": "SUITE 60", "city": "RENO", "state": "NV", "zip": "89502"}}
1

    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 14, 1997
                                                  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 or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                                   41-1713864
                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)

                               4750 TURBO CIRCLE
                              RENO, NEVADA  89502
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                        1997 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full title of Plan)

                              EDWARD G. STEVENSON
                    INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
                               4750 TURBO CIRCLE
                              RENO, NEVADA  89502
                                 (702) 823-3000
           (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                             DOUGLAS T. HOLOD, ESQ.
                         MASLON EDELMAN BORMAN & BRAND,
                  A PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP
                              3300 NORWEST 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            AMOUNT OF
REGISTERED                        REGISTERED           PER SHARE(1)              OFFERING PRICE(1)    REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock                    100,000                   $4.875                 $487,500                  $168.10
 ($.01 par value per              shares
 share)

======================================================================================================================
(1)      Estimated solely for purposes of computing the registration fee in
         accordance with Rule 457(h) and based upon the average of the high and
         low prices of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ National Market System on
         October 9, 1997.

                                 Page 1 of 9
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 contents of the Registrant's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996 and the amendment thereto on Form 10-K/A filed June 4, 1997.

    (b) The contents of the Registrant's Form 10-Q for the first quarter ended
March 31, 1997 and the Registrant's Form 10-Q for the second quarter ended June
30, 1997.

    (c) The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 No. 333-25481,
initially filed on June 7, 1997.

    All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters 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 Directors and Officers.

    The Registrant 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, fines, including, without limitation, excise taxes assessed against
such person with respect to an employee benefit plan, settlements, and
reasonable expenses, including attorney's 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.

                                  Page 2 of 9
3

Item 8.  Exhibits.

    5.       Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional Limited
             Liability Partnership 
    23(1).   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP 
    23(2).   Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional Limited 
             Liability Partnership (contained in Exhibit 5).  
    24.      Power of Attorney (included on Page 5).

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 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
    offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
    the effective registration statement.

         (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;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information required to included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference 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.

    (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.

                                  Page 3 of 9
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.

                                  Page 4 of 9
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 Reno, State of Nevada, on October 10, 1997.

                                INNOVATIVE GAMING CORPORATION OF AMERICA 
                                Registrant

                                By s/ Edward G. Stevenson
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                   Edward G. Stevenson
                                   President (Chief Executive Officer)

                                  Page 5 of 9
6

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of Innovative Gaming
Corporation of America, hereby severally constitute Scott H. Shackelton, 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 on the date indicated.
NAME                                                  TITLE                                 DATE
----                                                  -----                                 ----
s/ Edward G. Stevenson                    President, Chief Executive Officer        October 10, 1997
----------------------------------         and Director (principal executive                        
Edward G. Stevenson                        officer)                         
                                                   

 s/ Lyle Berman                            Director                                  October 10, 1997
----------------------------------                                                                  
Lyle Berman

 s/ Paul A. Bible                          Director                                  October 10, 1997
----------------------------------                                                                  
Paul A. Bible

                                           Director                                  October 10, 1997
----------------------------------                                                                  
Ronald R. Zideck

s/ Scott H. Shackelton                     Chief Financial Officer                   October 10, 1997
----------------------------------         (principal accounting officer)                           
Scott H. Shackelton
Page 6 of 9
7

                                    EXHIBITS
Exhibit Number           Description of Exhibit                                   Page No.
5.              Opinion of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional
                Limited Liability Partnership                                       7
23A.            Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP                                      8
23B.            Consent of Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional
                Limited Liability Partnership (contained in Exhibit 5).             7
24.             Power of Attorney (included on Page 5).                             5
Page 7 of 9