National Review

Dear Editor:

In the recent article, “Play to Extinction - Gambling Is a Racket, Not a Tool of Economic Development” by Kevin Williamson, the author maliciously libels casinos and our patrons with hackneyed stereotypes and disparaging language. Moreover, he dramatically mischaracterizes the commercial gaming industry and completely ignores the substantial economic benefits casinos have on surrounding communities.

A study of 2010 economic data found that casinos bring substantive positive economic benefits that lead to nearly 350,000 jobs generated directly by the industry. The average salary and benefits of $43,500 in the gaming segment of the commercial casino industry exceeds that of other segments of the overall national recreation and retail sectors. These are satisfying careers that provide long-term benefits to employees; our industry further benefits the economies in the regions where we operate and across the nation through the vendors and suppliers we use.  Taking all these impacts into account, the commercial casino industry supported approximately $125 billion in spending and nearly 820,000 jobs in the U.S. economy in 2010.  

With regard to the negative comments about our patrons, the majority of casino visitors are college-educated and make between $35,000 and $60,000 annually. Seventy-two percent of casino visitors in 2010 were under the age of 65. Most people who frequent casinos play responsibly, and many do so using a pre-determined, limited budget.

I implore you to provide your audience with the whole story and to give readers all the facts when looking at the true impact of casinos.

Sincerely,

Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr.
President and CEO
American Gaming Association