Maritime Transportation Security

Background

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA), passed in the wake of Sept. 11, requires the U.S. Coast Guard to regulate security at ports, vessels and facilities. Coast Guard regulations governing vessel and facility security are applicable to many AGA member company riverboat gaming venues, and as port security continues to be a topic of concern for the nation, the AGA continues to assist its members with riverboat gaming properties in their interactions with the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security.

AGA members share the concerns of our patrons, suppliers, and all Americans about homeland security. We are committed to effective security for our operations and believe we already have some of the most comprehensive security systems and procedures of any industry affected by MTSA. Because of the unique operating environment onboard gaming vessels and co-located facilities, the AGA has developed, and the Coast Guard has endorsed, an Alternative Security Program (ASP) that may be used by member companies in lieu of direct compliance with the Coast Guard regulations.

The AGA continues to work with the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration on a number of issues of concern to our members who have riverboat gaming facilities, including implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) regulations, issuance of Coast Guard certificates of inspection for continuously moored vessels and further development of the AGA ASP.