Sports betting is spreading across the US, and with igaming likely to follow in the coming years, the pressure is on the gaming industry to evolve alongside an increasingly sophisticated and tech-savvy player base.

Players are used to mobile-first products and seek out seamless, immediate solutions. How can operators meet, and exceed, these expectations?

With IGA round the corner, iGB and Worldpay are holding a special panel discussion outlining what consumers want, and how the payments industry is catering to these demands.

Our expert panel will be looking at the role of payments in engaging and retaining customers. You’ll also hear about the role of payments in driving revenue growth, while drilling down customer acquisition costs, fighting fraud and ultimately future-proofing your gaming business.

As this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament builds to a dramatic finish, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released the following findings from their recent survey on March Madness:

• Of the 47 million American adults who planned to wager on or fill out a bracket for March Madness, only 10 percent of bettors have their favored team still in play:
  • Five percent picked the University of Virginia;
  • Four percent picked Michigan State University;
  • One percent picked Texas Tech University; and
  • 0.009 percent picked Auburn University – meaning just one out of the 11,002 people surveyed made this pick.
• Every state represented in the Final Four – as well as the host state of Minnesota – have pending sports betting legislation.
• Nearly 6-in-10 Americans, not just bettors, said they would find the final four games more entertaining to watch on TV if they had bet on one of them to win the tournament.

 Methodology

This survey was conducted on behalf of the AGA by Morning Consult between March 1-7, 2019, among a national sample of 11,002 adults. The interviews were conducted online, and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment and region. The margin of error is +/- 1% and greater among subgroups. Bettors include those who expect to place a bet online, with a bookie, with a casino sportsbook, casually with a friend or participate in a bracket contest.

About AGA: The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group representing the $261 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.8 million jobs nationwide. AGA members include commercial and tribal casino operators, gaming suppliers and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry. It is the mission of the AGA to achieve sound policies and regulations consistent with casino gaming’s modern appeal and vast economic contributions.

WASHINGTON – With American acceptance of gaming at an all-time high, casino gamblers are actively practicing responsible gaming, according to new research released today by the American Gaming Association (AGA). Bettors report setting budgets, sticking to them and being aware of available responsible gaming resources at significantly high rates.

According to the research:

• 9 in 10 casual bettors set a budget before they visit a casino;
• 90 percent of those visitors report success in tracking their spending; and
• 8 in 10 casual casino visitors and 9 in 10 avid casino visitors are aware of responsible gaming resources.

“Responsible gaming is our industry’s top priority,” said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “This research indicates that our unwavering commitment to responsibility is resonating with our customers. But success in this key area will never mean our work is done, and we look forward to continuing to work with gaming regulators, our partners in the fight against problem gambling and our employees to ensure customers continue to engage in this form of mainstream entertainment responsibly.”

This research comes on the heels of a recent AGA study that highlighted continued growth in acceptance of gaming. That research indicates that 88 percent of American adults view gambling as an acceptable form of entertainment. Americans also have a positive view of the industry’s role as a community partner, with 80 percent of people recognizing gaming’s role as a job creator, and 6 in 10 Americans believing casinos help their local economies.

“Gaming has made great strides over the past few years with the public increasingly recognizing our industry as the community partner and economic driver we know it to be,” continued Miller. “I look forward to working with our members and all interested stakeholders to build upon this great momentum in the years to come.”

The U.S. gaming industry commits more than $300 million to responsible gaming annually, supporting education, training and rehabilitation programs across the country.

Last year, AGA launched the Responsible Gambling Collaborative, convening a renowned group of thought leaders, stakeholders and academics to chart a new course on the complex issue of responsible gaming.

AGA members adhere to the association’s Responsible Gaming Code of Conduct which guides industry commitments to responsible gaming and is updated annually to reflect new developments and industry innovations. In 2018, AGA updated the Code to enhance provisions on sports betting and responsible advertising.

Methodology: Today’s data comes from two separate polls completed in late 2018. Data on Americans’ acceptance of gaming comes from our survey of Americans’ attitudes towards gaming and was conducted by the Mellman Group of 1,000 registered voters, both online and on the phone. Data on casino visitors’ responsible gaming practices comes from a survey of 2,014 past year casino gamblers. This survey was conducted online by BrandOutlook.

About AGA: The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group representing the $261 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.8 million jobs nationwide. AGA members include commercial and tribal casino operators, gaming suppliers and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry. It is the mission of the AGA to achieve sound policies and regulations consistent with casino gaming’s modern appeal and vast economic contributions.

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