Washington, DC – Today, President Obama will speak in Cleveland about creating jobs and improving access to the middle class on the heels of a new report showing that gaming is providing a path to the middle class for Ohio workers from all backgrounds. The study conducted by Oxford Economics, “Gaming Careers: A Path to the Middle Class,” highlights the more than 200 job classifications gaming provides, including high-tech, engineering, software development and law enforcement, and that the industry is expected to add more than 62,000 jobs over the next decade.

“The gaming industry is providing tremendous opportunities for tens of thousands of Ohioans,”said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA). “President Obama’s visit offers an opportunity to highlight the strong community partnerships we’ve developed in Cleveland and the importance of policies that will allow our industry to reinvest, innovate and create more jobs.”

Casino gaming is a $2.2 billion industry in Ohio that supports 14,000 jobs and generates $673 million in tax revenue – enough to pay more than 200,000 teachers’ salaries. Gaming has served as a strong community partner in Cleveland. For example, Rock Gaming is playing a key role in revitalizing the City’s Public Square.

Last month, the AGA announced its “Gaming Votes” initiative to highlight the fact that in presidential battleground states, casino gaming supports more than half-a-million jobs and contributes $75 billion to local communities. The initiative, which will feature events in Ohio before and during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, will ensure presidential candidates understand gaming’s vital role in providing middle class jobs and driving economic growth.

About AGA: The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group representing the $240 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.7 million jobs in 40 states.  AGA members include commercial and tribal casino operators, suppliers and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry.  It is the mission of the AGA to be the single most effective champion of the industry, relentlessly protecting against harmful and often misinformed public policies, and paving a path for growth, innovation and reinvestment.

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