As part of its Get to Know Gaming series, the American Gaming Association (AGA) hosted a panel discussion at the National Minority Supplier Development Council Conference & Business Opportunity Exchange (NMSDC) to highlight casino gaming’s commitment to working with minority and women-owned small businesses.

Geoff Freeman, AGA president and CEO, commented on the event, “The gaming industry’s commitment to a diversified workforce has never been stronger. AGA is proud to partner with the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council and we look forward to actively supporting their mission to advance business connections that count for many years to come.”

The panel was a continuation of the AGA’s American Gaming Small Business Jobs Tour, which highlighted several minority and women-owned businesses throughout the year, including:

• Eastern Food Services, a minority-owned business in Laurel, Maryland that works with MGM National Harbor to provide MLife water bottles to the property.
• St. Louis-based Regents Maintenance Supply, a minority-owned janitorial supplier and equipment provider to the region’s casinos.
• Edwards & Hill Office Furniture, a minority-owned office furniture supply and installation firm in Annapolis, Maryland that works closely with Maryland Live Casino.

Each company said their business grew exponentially thanks to their work with the gaming industry.

As part of its Small Business Tour, the AGA released The Gaming Industry’s Impact on Small Business Development in the United States, a report examining nearly a dozen U.S. gaming markets and assessing casino gaming’s direct and indirect impact on local small businesses. The study concluded that while gaming’s widespread impact is felt in markets across the country, it makes an outsized impact in small to mid-sized communities where local businesses work to integrate into gaming operations.

Nationwide, the report concluded that the casino gaming industry generates $52 billion in annual revenue for American small businesses and supports $13 billion in small business employee wages, amounting to 350,000 jobs. Upwards of half of casino industry-supported jobs are at non-gaming businesses such as local restaurants and shops that see an increase in traffic from nearby casino properties. In addition, $52 billion in annual small business revenues go toward real estate, finance, health care, STEM, manufacturing, information technology, and other industries.

Along with Freeman, the day’s panel included Stacey Taylor, SVP & chief procurement officer, MGM Resorts International; Jessica Rosman, vice president of procurement, Caesars; Renee Boyce, president, CEO and founder, My Next Career Path Staff, LLC.; Jacci Woods, VP of public relations and community affairs, MotorCity Casino Hotel; Paul Jenkins, MiG Construction; and Shaundell Newsome, founder, Sumnu Marketing.

Media Highlights

• AGA Highlights Industry Commitment to Diversity at National Minority Supplier Development Council, CDC Gaming Reports
• Beyond The Neon: American Gaming Association Highlights Industry Commitment To Diversity At National Minority Supplier Development Council, Huffington Post