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    More Than 80% of NFL Teams Play Home Games Within 1-Hour Drive of a Casino

    Press Release
    May 25, 2016

    Washington, DC – Twenty-six NFL teams – 81 percent – play their home games at stadiums located within an hour’s drive of a casino, while half of all teams are located within 11 miles of the closest casino, according to an analysis released today by the American Gaming Association (AGA). The analysis serves to debunk the myth that professional athletes and casinos cannot co-exist in the same city.

    Further, six teams – the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns – play their home games within one mile of the nearest casino. When the radius is expanded to five miles, an additional four teams – the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots – join that group, meaning that a total of 10 teams play home games within five miles of a casino.

    “Casino gaming has become a mainstream industry that is welcomed by communities in 40 states, including in many markets with NFL and other professional sports franchises,” said Sara Rayme, AGA’s senior vice president of public affairs. “The facts show that concerns about athletes playing games in Las Vegas are dramatically misinformed. It’s time for a fresh look at the sports betting prohibition that is pushing widely popular sports betting activity to an illegal market that threatens the integrity of the sports we love.”

    Key findings of the analysis:

    • 6 teams are located within 1 mile of the nearest casino.
    • 10 teams are located within 5 miles of the nearest casino.
    • Half of all NFL teams are located within 11 miles of the nearest casino.
    • 22 teams (69%) are located within 30 miles of a casino.
    • 25 teams (79%) are located with 35 miles of a casino.
    • 26 NFL teams (81%) are located within an hour’s drive from a casino.
    • 100% of NFL players are within reach of illegal online sports betting sites.

    The analysis doesn’t include games played in London, where legal, regulated sports betting is ubiquitous.

    Proximity to the Nearest Casino for Each NFL Team 

    (Team name – Closest Casino to Stadium: Distance in Miles)

    1. Los Angeles Rams – Hollywood Park Casino: 0.1
    2. Pittsburgh Steelers – Rivers Casino: 0.2 
    3. Baltimore Ravens – Horseshoe Casino Baltimore: 0.5
    4. Detroit Lions – Greektown Casino-Hotel: 0.6 
    5. Cleveland Browns – JACK Cleveland Casino: 0.7
    6. New Orleans Saints – Harrah’s New Orleans: 0.9 
    7. Cincinnati Bengals – JACK Cincinnati Casino: 1.8
    8. Green Bay Packers – Oneida Mason Street Casino: 3.3 
    9. San Diego Chargers – Lucky Lady Casino & Card Room: 4.0
    10. New England Patriots – Plainridge Park Casino: 4.8 
    11. San Francisco 49ers – Bay 101 Casino: 5.4 
    12. Philadelphia Eagles – SugarHouse Casino: 6.5 
    13. Oakland Raiders – Oaks Card Club: 7.9 
    14. Kansas City Chiefs – Isle of Capri Casino Kansas City: 9.5
    15. Buffalo Bills – Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino: 10.2
    16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Seminole Hard Rock Tampa: 10.8
    17. Seattle Seahawks – Freddie’s Casino: 11.5
    18. Miami Dolphins – Magic City Casino: 16.4 
    19. Chicago Bears – Rivers Casino Des Plaines: 19.2 
    20. Washington Redskins – Maryland Live! Casino: 22.2
    21. Minnesota Vikings – Canterbury Park Casino: 23.6 
    22. Indianapolis Colts – Indiana Grand Racing & Casino: 26.9
    23. New York Jets – Resorts World Casino: 30.9
    24. New York Giants – Resorts World Casino: 30.9 
    25. Arizona Cardinals – Lone Butte Casino: 34.2 
    26. Denver Broncos – Isle Casino Hotel Blackhawk: 36.2 
    27. Dallas Cowboys – WinStar World Casino & Resort: 83.7 
    28. Houston Texans – L’Auberge Lake Charles: 150.0 
    29. Atlanta Falcons – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino: 161.0 
    30. Carolina Panthers – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino: 163.0
    31. Jacksonville Jaguars – Seminole Hard Rock Tampa: 218.0 
    32. Tennessee Titans – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino: 287.0 

    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.


    press release contact
    Dara Cohen

    (813) 777-9078