Washington, D.C. – American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller issued the following statement on the Congressional letter to the Department of Justice encouraging illegal market investigation and enforcement action:

“Offshore gambling websites are a significant threat to consumer protections and the economic benefits legal gaming provides for communities across the country. Eradicating these websites, and all forms of illegal gambling, is one of AGA’s top priorities.

“After our initial outreach to the Department of Justice in April, today’s letter to Attorney General Garland demonstrates the broad interest in addressing illegal gaming. We are grateful to Gaming Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Titus and Reschenthaler for their leadership and the Members who joined this call to action.

“Our country’s leaders are clearly and appropriately alarmed by the prevalence of offshore sportsbooks and law enforcement must act to identify the worst actors, investigate and prosecute them.

“We look forward to continuing to work with allies on the Hill, sports leagues and the Department of Justice to prioritize robust enforcement that will protect Americans from the predatory illegal marketplace.”

Washington, D.C. – American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s announcement that the pre-departure testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States will be lifted on June 12:

“The American Gaming Association applauds the White House’s decision to lift the COVID-19 testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States. By welcoming back international business and leisure travelers, the American gaming industry and our nation’s hospitality sector can fully recover. This move puts the United States on equal footing with other countries and will provide a major boost to our nation’s travel and hospitality industries.

“The AGA and our members have been vocal proponents of this move for months, and we are thankful for the Nevada delegation and other champions in Congress who continue to support gaming communities across the country. We are grateful to the CDC, all those in the health and science community, and the Biden administration for tackling this enormous challenge and making this a reality.

“At the same time, we must not forget that more can still be done to return tourism to pre-pandemic levels. We ask the State Department to continue their work to speed up international visa processing time by investing in additional staff and allowing virtual interviews. Eliminating the testing requirement will undoubtedly open our doors to more international visitors and we should make the process for entry as efficient and accessible as possible.”

American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller issued the following statement on the passing of Senator Harry Reid:

From his days as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission to tenure as Majority Leader, Senator Reid’s impact on Nevada and the gaming industry is unparalleled. He was the ultimate gaming champion.

I’m grateful for having known the Senator throughout my career in Washington, D.C. Without a shadow of a doubt, Senator Reid was one of the sharpest, most effective political minds to ever enter the arena.

On behalf of the AGA, our condolences to his wife, family and friends. May his memory be a blessing.

The AGA CEO Roundtable provides an exclusive opportunity for the industry’s most senior leaders to debate and consider current and future issues that shape the Association and industry.

The AGA CEO Roundtable Retreat is an invite-only event that will take place from March 16 – 17, 2022 in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.

If you have any questions, please contact Elsa Nguyen, Sr. Manager, Events & Education, at 202-774-1277 or 

The American Gaming Association’s Public Policy Committee is comprised of executives with expertise in gaming policy, law, and regulation from across the casino gaming industry. This includes tribal and commercial casino operators, gaming suppliers, providers of non-gaming amenities, and stakeholders who share our interest in the casino gaming industry’s success.

The Fall AGA Public Policy Committee meeting is a private, invite-only event that will take place on Wednesday, November 3 in Washington, D.C. An agenda will be shared closer to the meeting date. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rachel Jordan, manager, government relations, at .

To welcome you, the AGA is hosting a reception with Capitol Hill and administration leaders at the Caesars Sportsbook at 5 PM following the meeting.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, SeventySix Capital became the newest partner of the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ public service campaign. SeventySix Capital, which invests in game-changing sports betting startups, will be the first investment company to join the initiative to promote responsible sports betting.

As part of its commitment, SeventySix Capital will activate the campaign through its social media channels, company podcasts, and newsletters. SeventySix Capital and the AGA will also discuss this new partnership on an episode of the SeventySix Capital Leadership Series, its weekly podcast, which will air on September 1st.

“SeventySix Capital shares the belief with the AGA that educating consumers on the basics of responsible sports betting is important to the longevity of the industry,” said Wayne Kimmel, SeventySix Capital’s managing partner. “We are proud to join forces with the AGA and other campaign partners as the first investment company partner in this effort. We will help promote Have A Game Plan, specifically with the entrepreneurs that are working to transform the sports betting industry.”

“We’re excited to partner with SeventySix Capital, whose innovative ideas and technologies reach widely across the sports betting landscape,” said Casey Clark, AGA senior vice president, strategic communications. “The success of the legal sports betting industry hinges on a shared commitment to responsibility—and as American access to the legal market continues to expand, educating consumers on the importance of responsible betting is critical. We’re proud to welcome SeventySix Capital to Have A Game Plan and are thankful for their commitment to keeping bettors safe and informed.”

The AGA’s Have A Game Plan campaign focuses on the core principles of responsible sports betting: setting a budget and sticking to it, keeping betting social, knowing the odds, and playing with trusted, regulated operators.

Sports betting is now legal in 32 states and the District of Columbia, with 23 jurisdictions already operational.

The AGA launched Have A Game Plan in late 2019 to educate sports fans on the principles of responsible sports betting. SeventySix Capital joins official campaign partners DraftKings, FanDuel, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, NASCAR, the NHL, the PGA TOUR, Sightline Payments, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Vegas Golden Knights, the Washington Football Team, and UFC.

For more information, please visit https://haveagameplan.org .

Join us for a webinar exploring two timely topics: how gaming advertising evolved in 2024 and the release of the AGA’s new responsible gaming messaging framework. We’ll break down key shifts in industry ad spend and volume trends using Nielsen Ad Intel data and share the key findings and research driving our new responsible gaming messaging framework.

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR

The American Gaming Association’s Board of Directors is comprised of C-suite executives with expertise in gaming business operations from across the casino gaming industry. This includes tribal and commercial casino operators, gaming suppliers, providers of non-gaming amenities, and stakeholders who share our interest in the casino gaming industry’s success.

The Fall AGA Board of Directors meeting is a private, invite-only event that will take place on Thursday, November 4 in Washington, D.C. with an option to attend virtually. An agenda and briefing book will be shared closer to the meeting date. To welcome you, the AGA is hosting a reception with Capitol Hill and administration leaders at 5 PM and board dinner at 7 PM on Wednesday, November 3.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Elsa Nguyen, Sr. Manager of Events & Education, at 202-774-1277 or 

WASHINGTON – The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that Americans will wager more than $10 billion on the upcoming 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Of that $10 billion, only about $300 million – or three percent – will be wagered legally through Nevada sports books.

Americans illegally bet at least $150 billion annually on sports, empowered by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), a failed federal prohibition on single-game sports betting. Illegal wagering is often done through bookies, on illegal offshore websites, or through sports pools like popular March Madness® basketball bracket pools.

According to a recent legal analysis, roughly two-thirds of states’ laws make it illegal to participate in sports pools, including filling out an NCAA tournament bracket, if there is money involved. Despite this, 10 percent of American adults, or nearly 24 million people, reported spending nearly $3 billion in the past year on college basketball pools alone.

“Our current sports betting laws are so out of touch with reality that we’re turning tens of millions of Americans into criminals for the simple act of enjoying college basketball,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “The failed federal ban on sports betting has created an illegal, unregulated sports betting market that offers zero consumer protections and generates zero revenue for state and tribal governments.

“As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of PASPA, AGA is focused on working with all stakeholders to put the illegal market out of business and enable a safe, legal way for American consumers to participate in next year’s office pool without fear of prosecution,” continued Freeman.

The U.S. Supreme Court will make a decision on New Jersey’s challenge to PASPA’s overreach in the coming months, potentially enabling an expansion of legalized sports betting. Meanwhile, 48 pieces of sports betting legislation are active in 18 states, as legislatures across the country prepare to take advantage of this opportunity.

Background 

• On December 4, 2017, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Christie v. NCAA, which challenges the constitutionality of PASPA. The Court is expected to issue a decision on the case in the coming months.
• AGA filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court detailing the impacts of the failing federal sports betting ban. The brief highlighted the thriving $150 billion illegal sports betting market in the U.S.
• At least 18 states have active sports betting-related legislation, with more expected to introduce bills throughout 2018.
• AGA developed Principles to Successfully Govern Sports Betting and Protect Consumers to inform state policy.
• According to a Washington Post survey 55% of Americans believe it is time to end the sports betting ban.

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 achieve sound policies and regulations consistent with casino gaming’s modern appeal and vast economic contributions.