Washington, DC  – Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf Coast has made significant strides in its comeback. With more than 98 percent of displaced families back in their homes and billions of dollars in infrastructure replaced, the casino gaming industry has been a committed partner in the communities hardest hit. David Purdum of ESPN reported, “In the 10 years after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, gambling was an unquestionably important economic catalyst during the recovery.”

“Hurricane Katrina had a crippling impact on the casino gaming industry in Louisiana and Mississippi, but we committed to recreating the 68,000 jobs and $2.5 billion in wages for our Gulf Coast employees,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the AGA. “Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, gaming in the Gulf Coast continues to be a huge economic driver supporting more than $2.2 billion in taxes for essential services like infrastructure that empowered Louisiana and Mississippi to rebuild.”

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.