Washington, DC – With Nevadans set to caucus for Democrats and Republicans this month, the American Gaming Association (AGA) today released its first-ever voter guide to help educate the 180,000 gaming employees in Nevada about the presidential candidates and how to participate. The guide includes candidates’ views on gaming, as well as important information on when to vote, where to vote and how to register.

The guide uses a system of red, yellow and green lights to immediately indicate which candidates oppose Nevada’s largest industry, have mixed views or support gaming.

“The hundreds of thousands of gaming employees in Nevada are highly engaged in this election and will play an outsized role in choosing the next president,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the AGA. “For the first time, our employees will know where candidates stand on Nevada’s largest industry – one that provides their livelihood – when they caucus in this crucial early state.”

Before the GOP debate in Las Vegas in December, 62 percent of Nevada casino gaming employees said politicians frequently succumb to casino stereotypes rather than learning about the modern day industry and the 1.7 million jobs it supports, according to survey data released in December. Nearly 40 percent of Nevada’s casino employees said they will withhold their vote from candidates who express negative and misinformed opinions about gaming.

Further, the poll revealed that the vast majority of Nevada’s casino gaming employees – who constitute 15 percent of Nevada’s electorate – are remarkably focused on the campaigns, with three-quarters (73%) saying they are closely watching what candidates are saying. Further, 93 percent of gaming employees who are registered to vote say they are likely to cast a ballot in the general election. The research found that candidates’ views on gaming matter in Nevada, with 80 percent of Nevada gaming employees saying they are more likely to support a candidate who understands and supports their industry.

With presidential candidates making frequent fundraising trips to Las Vegas but then bashing the gaming industry when campaigning in another state, more than half (52%) of Nevada gaming employees say it’s “hypocritical” for candidates to engage in such tactics. Nine-in-ten Nevada gaming employees say presidential candidates should also take the time to understand the state’s largest industry while they’re in Nevada.

The voter guide is part of an initiative called Gaming Votes, which AGA launched last year to ensure that presidential candidates understand the important role gaming is playing across the country. In the key battleground and early vote states, gaming supports more than half-a-million jobs and generates $75 billion in economic activity. Through on-the-ground media in Iowa, Nevada, Colorado and Ohio, AGA has shined a spotlight on gaming’s role as a strong community partner, bringing together members of Congress, mayors and city councilors, non-profit and small business leaders and others to tout the industry.

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.