internet gambling

The board of directors of the American Gaming Association (AGA), at a board meeting yesterday, held a lengthy discussion on the subject of Internet gaming. While the board maintains its view that gaming is primarily a state regulatory matter, the consensus of the board is that appropriate regulatory and law enforcement oversight does not presently exist with regard to Internet gaming to properly protect the integrity of the games, the security and legality of financial transactions, and against the potentially harmful effects of underage and pathological gambling.

WASHINGTON – The typical U.S. Internet gambler is under 40, college-educated, male and more affluent than his fellow citizens, according to results of a new survey of online gamblers included in the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) 2006 State of the States: The AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment. The report also includes comprehensive economic impact data on the U.S. commercial casino industry, which indicate the industry in 2005 generated more than $30 billion in gross gaming revenues for the first time ever.

WASHINGTON—The American Gaming Association (AGA) today released the fourth white paper in its 10th Anniversary Research Series, which provides an overview of the current online gambling market, explores current U.S. policies, analyzes proposed legislation and its possible impact, and ultimately suggests that a Congressional study commission is needed to properly address the issue in the United States.

Good morning.  My boss, Frank Fahrenkopf, sends his regards and regrets for not being here due to a minor medical procedure.

I’m happy to be here at the fabulous Wynn Las Vegas to report on the state of the commercial gaming industry as we head into 2006.  As many of you know, this past year marked the 10th anniversary of the American Gaming Association, and I think it’s fair to say that as we enter our next decade, we do so as the voice of an industry that has seen its fair share of challenging times but has emerged more united, stronger, and with more opportunities than ever.

It was a decade fraught with tremendous possibilities and challenges, one marked both by tragedy and triumph. Natural disasters, volatile politics, the rise of social networking and the fall of the global economy forever changed the way people throughout the world live and work. As the Aughts came to a close, the international gaming community emerged a larger, more diverse – and also a more guarded – industry than before.

Good afternoon.  I’m Frank Fahrenkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, the national trade association that represents the U.S. commercial casino industry in Washington.  I’m proud to tell you that last year we celebrated our tenth anniversary as the voice of the commercial casino industry, and it’s been a tremendously successful decade filled with opportunity, evolution and growth. 

Thank you for that kind introduction and for the invitation to be back with you again this year.  For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Judy Patterson, and I’m the senior vice president and executive director of the American Gaming Association.  I’m here today to talk about quite a different topic than I did last year, but I think it’s one you’re no doubt all interested in.  As you no doubt know, Internet gaming has become a hot topic in the media and on Capitol Hill of late, and I hope to shed some light for you today on what we at the AGA have learned about this pastime that cont

Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning.  Today I want to give you a look at some of the key issues affecting the gaming entertainment industry on a global scale, as well as a closer look at the U.S. commercial casino market and some trends emerging there that will most likely have an impact in other areas as expansion into other regions of the world continues.

Frank Fahrenkopf’s PowerPoint presentation from the 2009 East Coast Gaming Congress can be downloaded by clicking here.