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The Gaming Industry's Commitment to ESG

Leading Responsibly to Meet New Expectations

Across all industries, stakeholder expectations are rising. The public is increasing its demands for businesses to provide greater transparency, accountability and engagement in responding to critical social and environmental priorities. In response, many companies are establishing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies and launching new initiatives to implement them.

An evolution of traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR), ESG adds critical accountability through transparent targets and goal setting, frequent measurement, monitoring and reporting and alignment to formal standards and global benchmarks.

Recently, the AGA conducted the first-ever industry-wide assessment of member initiatives and investments related to ESG issues. While AGA members are following different paths toward instituting formal ESG strategies and programs, they are taking concrete action now to protect the planet, create more diverse, inclusive workplaces, better their communities and demonstrate responsible leadership.

Testimonials

“This is just the beginning for gaming and ESG. Working with our members, the AGA will expand our industry’s positive impact, defining new ways to help gaming lead responsibly and create greater value.”

Bill Miller, President and CEO, American Gaming Association

Defining ESG For Gaming

As an evolution of traditional CSR, ESG adds critical accountability through transparent measurement, monitoring and reporting, which are fast becoming the norm with formalized standards and expectations. Gaming industry stakeholders are looking at our industry’s performance on these issues and holding us accountable for progress. The effort captures how AGA members are prioritizing work on several key issues that are most material to gaming businesses and important to stakeholders.

Advancing Sustainability

  • Committing to carbon footprint reductions and deploying alternative energy solutions.
  • Reducing resource consumption and waste, including conserving water and electricity, eliminating food waste and reducing or recycling plastic waste.

Strengthening Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

  • Increasing board and management diversity of race, gender and ethnicity.
  • Ensuring equitable access to career advancement opportunities for all employees.
  • Increasing work with diverse suppliers and vendors.
  • Supporting racial equality and social justice efforts through partnerships and philanthropy.

Investing in Communities

  • Spurring economic development and community revitalization through capital investment, job creation and local business support.
  • Delivering in times of crisis such as natural disasters and economic downturns.
  • Expanding educational and career development opportunities through educational scholarships, mentoring and more.
  • Investing in corporate philanthropy initiatives and meaningful community partnerships across the U.S. and around the globe.

Responsible Leadership

  • Protecting and empowering customers by investing in responsible gaming programs and equipping customers with tools to wager responsibly.
  • Delivering a gaming experience that exceeds regulatory requirements to ensure patrons enjoy a trusted gaming experience with robust protections.
  • Fostering a responsible culture through employee training on responsible gaming, problem gambling and human trafficking.
  • Establishing and following rigorous business and supply chain standards.
  • Investing in research and partnering with advocacy groups to advance responsibility efforts broadly.

Washington, D.C. – Gaming CEOs are optimistic about the industry’s continued growth and recovery, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Gaming Industry Outlook presented in partnership with Fitch Ratings.

More survey respondents (67%) rate the current business situation as “good” than six months ago (54%), while none describe it as “poor.” Meanwhile, four in ten CEOs expect the industry’s business climate to improve over the next two quarters compared to 13 percent that expect business conditions to worsen.

“Gaming executives are signaling confidence in our continued recovery that is in line with record-setting consumer demand for gaming,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “I’m optimistic that 2022 will see the return of a true sense of normalcy for gaming.”

While gaming CEOs are generally positive about the industry’s economic outlook, they also report macroeconomic impediments to business growth. Top concerns include:

  • Supply chain issues (75%).
  • Inflationary and interest rate concerns (67%).
  • Labor shortages (54%).

Notably, COVID-19 and demand for meetings and events are no longer among the top five concerns for gaming CEOs.

“Like businesses across the country, our industry is grappling with supply chain, labor and inflation challenges that, if left uncontrolled, could dampen our continued growth and economic outlook,” added Miller.

The Gaming Industry Outlook includes two separate indices: the Current Conditions Index and the Future Conditions Index.

Current Conditions Index
Despite all-time high commercial gaming revenue through the first two months of 2022, the Current Conditions Index of 93.5 reflects a slowing in casino gaming-related economic activity compared to record industry growth in the fourth quarter of 2021. The index shows that the gaming industry has grown at an annualized pace of approximately 16.5 percent over the last three quarters.

Future Conditions Index
The Future Conditions Index stands at 101.1, reflecting anticipated expansion of casino gaming-related economic activity over the next six months at a modest 1.1 percent annualized rate—a return to normal industry growth after a year of tremendous industry expansion from pandemic-era lows in 2020.

Gaming Executive Panel
The majority of gaming CEOs surveyed (79%) expect the pace of wage and benefit growth to increase over the next three-to-six months, while 50 percent expect the pace of hiring to increase.

Among gaming operators, 53 percent plan to invest more capital than normal in hotel facilities in the coming year, while about one-third plan to invest more than normal in slots on the casino floor (27%) and brick-and-mortar sportsbooks (33%).

Suppliers report increased bullishness for sales growth over the next six months: 100 percent of respondents expect sales of gaming units for new or expansion use to rise; 86 percent expect sales of gaming units for replacement use to rise; and 71 percent expect the pace of their capital investment to rise.

About the Outlook
The AGA Gaming Industry Outlook is presented in partnership with Fitch Ratings and prepared biannually by Oxford Economics. It provides a timely measure of recent industry growth and future expectations. The Q1 2022 survey was conducted between March 21 – April 1, 2022. A total of 24 executives responded, including executives at the major international and domestic gaming companies, tribal gaming operators, single-unit casino operators, major gaming equipment suppliers and major iGaming and/or sports betting operators.

Fitch Ratings is acting as a sponsorship partner in connection with the AGA Gaming Industry Outlook. Views expressed herein do not represent analytical views of Fitch Ratings.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on the gaming industry in 2020, causing U.S. commercial casino gaming industry revenue to drop 31.3 percent from 2019 to $30.0 billion, according to the American Gaming Association’s State of the States report.

Key Findings

$30.0 billion generated in commercial gaming revenue in 2020 - the first market contraction since 2014 and the lowest total since 2003

45,600 lost business days for commercial casinos due to pandemic-related closures, or approximately 27% of potential operating days.

$6.7 billion paid in gaming taxes to state and local governments, with billions more supported in sales, income and other taxes

Annual U.S. Commercial Gaming Revenue

 

In 2020, all 25 states with physical commercial casino gaming reported lower revenue than in 2019, but the size of their declines varied sharply and closely tracked with the length of mandated casino closures and the severity of COVID-19 restrictions once casinos were allowed to reopen. New Mexico experienced the steepest decline, as casinos closed in mid-March and remained shuttered the rest of the year, while South Dakota reopened after just a seven-week shutdown and saw a relatively modest revenue decline.

 

 

The disruption wrought by the pandemic also caused a significant shakeup in the top 20 casino markets by total gaming revenue. The Baltimore-Washington, D.C. gaming market is now the third largest in the country, passing Chicagoland, with the Gulf Coast, St. Louis and Shreveport/Bossier City markets also jumping several spots in the top 20 rankings.

Top 20 Gaming Markets


*Market revenue encompass electronic gaming devices and table games but not sports betting or internet gaming.

Americans continued to voice their support for the gaming industry in 2020, as voters in six states approved gaming expansion referendums in November

While COVID-19 overwhelmed traditional gaming sectors due to government-mandated closures and amenity restrictions, the industry experienced monumental growth in emerging verticals like sports betting and iGaming.

Despite widespread sportsbook shutdowns and an abbreviated sports calendar in 2020, the launch of seven new legal sports betting markets and the continued maturation of existing legal sports betting markets boosted 2020 national sports betting revenue by 69 percent year-over-year to nearly $1.6 billion. iGaming also generated nearly $1.6 billion in revenue across the four markets that were operational in 2020 (excluding Nevada online poker), tripling 2019’s revenue total.

“The gaming industry faced enormous challenges in 2020 – and we also saw significant changes, as player demographics shifted and emerging verticals saw strong growth. From sharp revenue declines, to booming legal sports betting activity and overwhelming voter enthusiasm behind gaming, this year’s report reflects both the highs and lows of the past year.” - AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.

About the Report

State of the States 2021 is the definitive economic analysis of the U.S. commercial casino industry and its significant economic impact in the 29 states and the District of Columbia with commercial gaming operations. For each of the 30 jurisdictions, the report analyzes gaming revenue and gaming taxes generated by commercial casino locations for the calendar year 2020. The report, developed with VIXIO GamblingCompliance, also provides a breakdown of the legality of types of gaming and number of casinos by state, summarizes major gaming policy discussions, and previews opportunities and challenges for the industry. The companion State of Play map provides the report findings in an easy-to-use, interactive tool.

Note, tribal casinos are subject to different reporting requirements and timelines. According to the most recently available data from the National Indian Gaming Commission, the tribal gaming sector’s revenue reached $34.6 billion in 2019.

Photo Credit: © Chon Kit Leong / Alamy Stock Photo

Washington, D.C. – Nationwide commercial gaming revenue totaled $14.31 billion in Q1 2022, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. This sets a new Q1 record and nearly matches the all-time quarterly record, which was just set in Q4 2021 ($14.35B).

The strong start to the year was punctuated by March’s revenue performance of $5.31 billion. The month marked the highest-grossing revenue month in industry history.

“Consumers continue to seek out gaming’s entertainment options in record numbers,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Q1’s strong results build on the industry’s record year in 2021 despite continued headwinds from supply chain constraints, labor shortages, and the impact of soaring inflation.”

The AGA also released today the annual State of the States report, which details the remarkable industry recovery throughout 2021.

Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker
Total commercial gaming revenue for Q1 2022 increased nearly 29 percent year-over-year. Nearly every (32 of 34) commercial gaming jurisdiction surpassed Q1 revenue from last year and three set quarterly records: Arkansas ($147.4M), Florida ($182.0M) and New York ($996.6M).

 

Sports betting and iGaming continued to experience tremendous growth, with both verticals setting all-time quarterly records, while land-based gaming showed quarterly growth amidst a traditional seasonal slowdown.

“Four years post-PASPA, legal sports betting’s success is proving what we’ve known all along: American consumers are eager to wager within the protections of the regulated market,” Miller added. “It also reinforces the need to stamp out offshore, illegal operators who prey on vulnerable customers.”

State of the States 2022
AGA’s newly released State of the States report explores the industry’s remarkable bounce back in 2021. Highlights from this year’s report, which serves as the definitive economic and regulatory analysis of U.S. commercial gaming by state, include:

  • 2021 set a new annual record for commercial gaming, reaching $53.03 billion—a 21.5 percent increase from the previous high in 2019.
  • Commercial gaming operations generated a record $11.69 billion in direct gaming tax revenue paid to state and local governments—up 75 percent from 2020 and 15 percent from 2019. This does not include the billions more paid in income, sales or other taxes.
  • The top 10 commercial gaming markets for 2021: (1) Las Vegas Strip, (2) Atlantic City, (3) Chicagoland, (4) Baltimore-Washington D.C., (5) Gulf Coast, (6) New York City, (7) Philadelphia, (8) Detroit, (9) St. Louis and (10) Boulder Strip.

“Our industry’s success goes beyond the bottom line and into communities across the country. The record state and local tax contributions fund vital services from infrastructure and education to healthcare and emergency services,” Miller reflected on the State of the States report.

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About the Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker
AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker provides state-by-state and cumulative insight into the U.S. commercial gaming industry’s financial performance based on state revenue reports. This issue highlights first quarter 2022 results, covering January 1 through March 31, 2022. Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia featured operational commercial gaming markets in Q1 2022, including casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming.

About State of the States
AGA’s annual State of the States report details the commercial gaming industry’s financial performance, including analyses of each of the 34 jurisdictions with commercial gaming operations in 2021. The report, developed with VIXIO GamblingCompliance, also provides a breakdown of the legality of types of gaming and number of casinos by state, summarizes major gaming policy discussions, and previews opportunities and challenges for the industry. The companion State of Play map provides the report findings, as well as key regulatory and statutory requirements for each state, in an easy-to-use, interactive tool.

Washington, D.C. Nationwide U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $17.63 billion in Q2 2024, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. The total marked the industry’s 14th consecutive quarter of annual revenue growth and its highest-grossing Q2 performance on record.

 

Across the country, 24 jurisdictions saw year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 2024, and nationwide commercial gaming revenue resulted in $3.73 billion in state taxes generated directly from gaming. 

Both land-based (including brick-and-mortar sportsbooks) and online gaming saw annual growth for the quarter. Year-over-year, the pace of land-based growth accelerated slightly and while the pace of online growth improved compared to Q1, it slowed significantly from nearly 44 percent in Q2 2023 to 32.5 percent in Q2 2024. Overall, land-based gaming accounted for 71.4 percent of total revenue while online gaming represented the remaining 28.6 percent.  

Taking a closer look at each major vertical: 

  • Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.49 billion (+1.8% year-over-year), with annual revenue gains in May and June buoying a slow beginning to the quarter in April. 
  • Legal Sports Betting: Americans wagered $31.75 billion on sports in Q2 2024, generating $3.16 billion in quarterly revenue (+35.3% year-over-year). The growth compared to Q2 2023 was bolstered by new market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont since last spring.
  • iGaming: iGaming grossed an all-time high of $1.98 billion in Q1, a 26.1 percent year-over-year increase bolstered by Rhode Island’s iGaming market launch in March.

While sports betting and iGaming continued to drive overall industry revenue growth in the second quarter, new brick-and-mortar property openings in Illinois, Nebraska and Virginia also led to rising traditional commercial gaming revenue,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. Across the country, land-based gaming markets are seeing mixed year-over-year comparisons due to slower consumer spending economy-wide, which may continue to be a factor through the remainder of 2024. 

Background

  • AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker provides state-by-state and cumulative insight into the U.S. commercial gaming industry’s financial performance based on state revenue reports. This issue highlights Q1 2024 results.
  • 37 states and the District of Columbia featured operational commercial gaming markets in Q1 2024, including casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming.
  • AGA’s State of Play Map charts gaming’s economic impact, industry regulations and casino locations on a state-by-state basis for both the commercial and tribal gaming sectors.

About the AGA 

As the national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) fosters a policy and business environment where legal, regulated gaming thrives. The AGA’s diverse membership of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting and iGaming companies, gaming suppliers, and more lead the $329 billion industry and support 1.8 million jobs across the country. 

Despite persistent concerns about the financial health of American consumers throughout 2022, the U.S. commercial casino gaming industry generated record-breaking revenue for a second consecutive year as total nationwide consumer spending on commercial casino gaming and sports betting increased by 14.0 percent to $60.46 billion.

Annual U.S. Commercial Gaming Revenue

Key Findings

Commercial gaming revenue reached $60.4 billion in 2022, passing the previous record of $53.0 billion set in 2021

27 of 35 states set annual records for commercial gaming revenue

Commercial gaming operations generated $13.49 billion in direct gaming tax revenue paid to state and local governments, not including billions more paid in income, sales or other taxes

“As one of the biggest taxpayers in states across the country, we know that when gaming is successful, so are our communities. Beyond our significant tax contributions, our industry is ingrained in local communities, bolstering economic development through job creation, supporting local charities and nonprofits, and setting the standard on corporate responsibility." - AGA President And CEO Bill Miller

In 2022, nearly all of the 35 jurisdictions with commercial casinos or sports betting operations saw a rise in annual gaming revenue, with only the District of Columbia, Mississippi and South Dakota reporting a decline. Twenty-seven out of the 35 jurisdictions achieved their highest-ever annual revenue from commercial gaming. Notably, Nebraska and Virginia joined the commercial casino marketplace in 2022 with the expansion of land-based casinos into each state.

Commercial Casino Gaming Consumer Spend by State 2021 vs. 2022

 

The surge in gaming revenue resulted in an unprecedented $13.49 billion of direct gaming tax revenue disbursed to state and local governments by commercial gaming establishments, reflecting a 15.3 percent increase compared to 2021. This figure just includes specific state and local taxes directly linked to gaming activities. The $13.49 billion does not encompass the billions of dollars paid by the industry in the form of income taxes, sales taxes or various corporate taxes, nor does it incorporate the payroll taxes paid by gaming operators and suppliers. Federal excise tax payments made by sports betting operators are also excluded from the total.

Commercial Casino Direct Gaming Tax Revenue by State 2021 vs 2022

 

While land-based gaming still dominated the overall commercial gaming revenue pie, sports betting and iGaming saw tremendous growth in 2022, setting new annual records.

Sports betting revenue soared 61.1 percent year-over-year, from $4.34 billion in 2021 to $7.50 billion in 2022, as Americans bet a total of $93.2 billion on sports throughout the year. The growth was driven by the launch of legal betting in Kansas and the addition of mobile betting in Louisiana, Maryland and New York.

The geographically smaller iGaming market also continued to break records in 2022, with combined iGaming revenue from six active states (excluding Nevada’s online poker only market) reaching $5.02 billion, a 35.2 percent increase year-over-year. Notably, iGaming’s growth came without any new states launching in 2022.

United States: Regulated Sports Betting GGR (US$BN) – 2019 to 2022

 

United States: Regulated iGaming GGR – 2014 to 2022

 

About State of the States
AGA’s annual State of the States report details the commercial gaming industry’s financial performance, including analyses of each of the 35 jurisdictions with commercial gaming operations in 2022. The report, developed with VIXIO GamblingCompliance, also provides a breakdown of the legality of types of gaming and number of casinos by state, summarizes major gaming policy discussions, and previews opportunities and challenges for the industry. The companion State of Play map provides the report findings, as well as key regulatory and statutory requirements for each state, in an easy-to-use, interactive tool.

Washington, D.C. – Gaming CEOs remain positive about the industry’s current business situation and many express confidence about future conditions despite persistent concerns about today’s economic environment, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Gaming Industry Outlook presented in partnership with Fitch Ratings.

Almost all executives surveyed indicated that the present business situation is good (68%) or satisfactory (28%), and most (92%) expect these conditions to continue or improve over the next three to six months. More than one third (38%) indicated they expect future conditions to be better, compared to only eight percent that thought conditions would worsen.

“Our industry remains cautiously optimistic—and has weathered this volatile economy— because of resilient consumer demand,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Looking ahead, future consumer confidence and spending remain an outstanding question for our continued growth.”

Despite strong annual revenue numbers to date, macroeconomic factors are tempering the future outlook for the gaming industry. While concerns have eased from earlier this year, two-thirds of gaming CEOs named supply chain issues as a factor limiting operations (65%), followed by inflation and interest rate concerns (62%). Half of executives also identified the uncertainty of the economic environment (50%) and shortage of labor (50%) as impediments to business growth.

The Gaming Industry Outlook includes two separate indices: the Current Conditions Index and the Future Conditions Index.

Current Conditions Index
The Current Conditions Index of 99.5 shows real gaming-related economic activity is relatively stable compared to the second quarter of 2022, when the industry set a new quarterly revenue record. Looking backward, the Index indicates that gaming-related economic activity has grown at an annualized pace of approximately 4.9 percent over the last three quarters, reflecting real underlying growth, controlled for the effects of inflation.

Future Conditions Index
The Future Conditions Index currently stands at 95.3, indicating that real gaming-related economic activity is expected to decrease moderately over the next six months at a 4.7 percent annualized rate. While the growth expectations of the Gaming Executive Panel remain positive, the Future Conditions Index is dampened by the current Oxford Economic outlook, which anticipates a mild recession in the first half of 2023.

Gaming Executive Panel
Three in four CEOs surveyed (76%) expect the pace of wage and benefit growth to continue to increase over the next three to six months, although there was a slowdown in expectations around the pace of hiring compared to earlier this year.

For gaming operators, future customer activity is a major question mark with expectations evenly split between expansion and contraction. Among gaming suppliers, half expect the sales of both new and replacement units to increase over the next two quarters, while none expected a decrease in sales.

The strong growth over the past two years has positioned the industry well despite future uncertainty. While respondents noted a significant deterioration in the credit environment, nearly half expected balance sheet health to improve over the next six months.

About the Outlook
The AGA Gaming Industry Outlook is presented in partnership with Fitch Ratings and prepared biannually by Oxford Economics. It provides a timely measure of recent industry growth and future expectations. The Q3 2022 survey was conducted between August 30 – September 6, 2022. A total of 26 executives responded, including executives at the major international and domestic gaming companies, tribal gaming operators, single-unit casino operators, major gaming equipment suppliers and major iGaming and/or sports betting operators.

Fitch Ratings is acting as a sponsorship partner in connection with the AGA Gaming Industry Outlook. Views expressed herein do not represent analytical views of Fitch Ratings.

About the American Gaming Association
As the national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) fosters a policy and business environment where legal, regulated gaming thrives. The AGA’s diverse membership of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting and iGaming companies, gaming suppliers, and more lead the $261 billion industry and support 1.8 million jobs across the country.

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Washington, D.C. – In a letter to federal lawmakers today, American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Geoff Freeman reiterated the gaming industry’s top priorities in the evolving debate on how to create a successful legal sports betting market in the United States.

Following last week’s momentous U.S. Supreme Court decision ending the federal sports betting ban, the casino gaming industry is dedicated to building the world’s most secure and successful sports betting system. As legal, regulated sport betting expands across the country, AGA and the gaming industry will work with all stakeholders who share our commitment to eliminating the vast illegal gaming market.

Below are the priorities the gaming industry will pursue:

  1. Empower State Regulation: More than 40 states and 260 jurisdictions have proven to be effective gaming regulators. AGA will be a resource to state policymakers and regulators as they consider sports betting legalization. AGA will also combat any attempts by the federal government to neuter state regulatory power.
  2. Place Consumers First: AGA encourages all stakeholders to understand the intricacies of the illegal marketplace and why consumers turn to it. AGA will promote strong consumer protections – which the illegal market fails to offer – and consumer-centric conveniences such as intrastate mobile wagering.
  3. Strengthen Game Integrity: Rigorous sports betting regulation strengthens game integrity, a primary aim shared by the gaming industry and sporting bodies. New technologies make it possible to track legal wagering and identify suspicious activities. The gaming industry supports establishing a national data repository to share any suspicious betting information with law enforcement, gaming regulators and sporting bodies.
  4. Promote Responsible Gaming and Responsible Advertising: The gaming industry encourages effective responsible gaming programs in all jurisdictions that enact regulated sports betting. To this end, the gaming industry will voluntarily pursue the creation of a self-regulatory model to guide sports betting advertising.
  5. Encourage Contracts over Statutes: Sports betting can benefit sporting bodies and gaming companies alike. The gaming industry supports strong contracts between these parties to address issues such as data and the value of other activities. The gaming industry will vigorously oppose efforts to use federal or state legislation to set basic business terms.

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 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.

WASHINGTON – The American Gaming Association (AGA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) Corporate Citizenship Center today announced the release of first-of-its-kind research analyzing the scope of the U.S. casino gaming industry’s community impact and commitment to communities, employees and customers.

Key findings from the report include:

  • Gaming industry respondents reported $367 million in charitable giving last year;
  • Ninety-three percent have comprehensive recycling and energy efficiency programs, 50% higher than the overall private sector;
  • Sixty-nine percent have an institutionalized diversity and inclusion hiring effort;
  • Gaming industry employees contribute more than 422,000 volunteer hours per year, nearly five-times more hours per employee than technology industry employees; and
  • One-hundred percent of AGA member companies surveyed have a responsible gaming policy.

The research revealed that a majority of companies are committed to responsibility as an integral part of their strategic goals and that the overall success of the gaming industry depends on how well companies can support the communities they serve. The gaming industry outpaces most private sector industries in its commitment to diverting waste from landfill and instituting green building and water conservation programs. The full research is available here.

“Above all else, the gaming industry’s highest priority is to promote responsibility in all that we do, from being constructive partners in the communities where we operate, providing exceptional career opportunities to industry employees and ensuring all patrons have the tools they need to engage in our offerings in a responsible manner,” said Bill Miller, president and chief executive officer of the American Gaming Association. “Today’s report shows that the gaming industry is making good on our promise to be responsible community partners, contributing economically and socially to communities across the country.”

“While corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports continue to become standard practice among American businesses, it is rare to see the collective impact of an entire sector,” said Carolyn Cawley, president of the U.S. Chamber Foundation. “We’re proud to work with AGA to release this groundbreaking research that illustrates the gaming industry’s positive efforts in the communities they serve.”

Methodology: The Chamber Foundation analyzed the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of AGA members, including a variety of company types and sizes, through quantitative and qualitative research. In the third quarter of 2018, USCCF and AGA surveyed and interviewed 15 AGA member respondents on the scale and scope of their corporate social responsibilities. Those companies represent 168 casino properties, 235,000 U.S. employees and $33 billion in total revenue.

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.

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness. We educate the public on the conditions necessary for business and communities to thrive, how business positively impacts communities, and emerging issues and creative solutions that will shape the future. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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New York, NY and Washington, D.C. – The National Basketball Association (NBA) is joining the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ public service campaign.

Through the partnership, the NBA and AGA will educate basketball fans on the fundamentals of responsible sports wagering by providing turnkey resources for use by the league’s 30 teams. Campaign content will include in-venue, broadcast, digital and social media activations.

“Responsible gaming is an integral component of the NBA’s approach to legal sports betting,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Gaming & New Business Ventures. “Working with the AGA on this initiative is an important part of our multifaceted approach to this critical topic and will provide our teams with tools to make a true impact on responsible gaming education in NBA markets across the U.S. and Canada.”

Launched in 2019, AGA’s Have A Game Plan campaign unites the sports betting ecosystem around a common consumer education platform, focusing on the four principles of responsible wagering for those who choose to bet:

  • Set a budget and stick to it.
  • Keep it social—sports betting is a form of entertainment for adults.
  • Know the odds.
  • Play with legal, regulated operators.

“As one of the world’s most popular leagues, the NBA will bring Have A Game Plan’s important message to a massive audience,” said AGA Senior Vice President Casey Clark. “It’s critical that the entire sports betting ecosystem is united in our commitment to responsible gaming, and we are grateful for the NBA’s leadership in these efforts.”

The NBA’s partnership with Have A Game Plan adds to its ongoing responsible gaming initiatives, which include public service announcements airing during games featuring Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen, restrictions on sports betting advertisements, a membership with the National Council on Problem Gambling, and an “opt-in”  focus that provides distinct, dedicated platforms for fans to engage with sports betting, such as NBABet and NBABet Stream, offering them the option to receive sports betting news and analysis across league platforms.

The NBA will join Have A Game Plan’s growing list of partners across the sports and gaming landscape, including Bally’s Corporation, Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, betPARX, DraftKings, Delaware North, Entain, FanDuel, Gaming Society, Global Payments, Major League Baseball, MGM Resorts International, MSG Network, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, NASCAR, NESN, New York Knicks, New York Jets, New York Rangers, NHL, Nuvei, Parx Casino, PENN Entertainment, PGA TOUR, Rush Street Interactive, SeventySix Capital, Sightline Payments, Sinclair Broadcast Group, USFL, Vegas Golden Knights, VSiN and Washington Commanders.

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About the AGA
As the national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) fosters a policy and business environment where legal, regulated gaming thrives. The AGA’s diverse membership of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting and iGaming companies, gaming suppliers, and more lead the $261 billion industry and support 1.8 million jobs across the country.