IUGM Homeless Survey

It is disappointing for the American Gaming Association to witness the continual attempts of individuals and organizations, such as the IUGM, to tarnish the image of the gaming industry in this country by engaging in subjective surveys. One has to question the motivation behind it. It is particularly discouraging to see this issue targeted, considering the gaming industry’s solid commitment to helping individuals in need and its proven track record hiring people off welfare and lowering people’s need to depend on public assistance programs. What concerns me about this survey is the primary objective behind it: sensationalism. The fact is that homelessness in this country is a complex issue with many facets. The survey itself recognizes this by not asking if gaming was the “cause” of homelessness, but rather if it was a “factor,” thereby acknowledging there are many contributing elements. It is also my understanding that the dissemination of this survey entailed collaboration with Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, the Christian Broadcasting Network and others who are morally opposed to gaming and who look for justification — accurate or not — to support their goal: the opposition of legalized gaming. The AGA stands behind the gaming industry’s commitment to helping individuals in need, whether it is hiring more individuals off welfare than most any other industry in this country, contributing millions of dollars and countless hours to charity, or funding programs to help those with problems.