WASHINGTON – The Oklahoma casino gaming industry supports more than 75,000 jobs statewide and has an annual economic impact of $9.8 billion, the American Gaming Association (AGA) announced today at a Get to Know Gaming event hosted in Oklahoma City, OK, following a reception yesterday in Tulsa, OK.

AGA’s Get to Know Gaming tour aims to engage local leaders about gaming’s role as a community partner in 40 states across the country. Thursday’s roundtable panel at the Petroleum Club Event Center included members of Congress, Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04) and Rep. Kendra Horn (OK-05); Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Commerce Bill Lance; Choctaw Nation Senior Executive Officer Janie Dillard; Cherokee Nation Dep. Attorney General Chrissi Nimmo; and AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell moderated the discussion.

Today’s event also marked the release of AGA’s latest report, Casinos & Communities Oklahoma, an in-depth look at how the gaming industry supports local communities. According to the research, Oklahoma’s gaming industry supports 75,885 jobs and $4.3 billion in wages in the state. The full report can be viewed here.

“For nearly three decades, sovereign tribal nations and gaming companies have been engines of growth and opportunity in the state of Oklahoma, creating partnerships with local organizations, supporting small businesses and providing good jobs for workers of all backgrounds,” said Bill Miller, President and chief executive officer of the American Gaming Association. “Today, we’re pleased to spotlight how the relationships between Oklahoma’s tribal nations, elected officials, small business owners and community leaders serve as a model of success for states around the nation.”

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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Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is back to reunite the industry. As the premier event for commercial and tribal gaming professionals, G2E will help you make meaningful connections, discover cutting-edge technology, and experience innovative content. Whether in-person or virtually, you’ll want to be part of the G2E experience.

AGA Member Benefits

As a member of the American Gaming Association, you receive exclusive G2E benefits. Make sure to take advantage of these benefits and experience all that G2E 2021 has to offer.

Not sure you’re a member? Review the current AGA member list here. To access AGA member benefits, make sure to use your work email when registering.

Health and Safety

Your health and safety is our top priority. To support a productive and safe show, G2E 2021 will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and face coverings. Review our full health and safety guidance to learn more about how we’re preparing a safe on-site experience.

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WASHINGTON – On Monday, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released a white paper highlighting the dangers of unregulated, illegal gambling machines proliferating across the U.S. These illegal gambling machines are not subjected to meaningful testing, licensing or regulatory standards and are often tied to criminal activity, including money laundering, drug trafficking and violent crime.

Highlights of the white paper, Skilled at Deception: How Unregulated Gaming Machines Endanger Consumers and Dilute Investments in Local Economies, include:

• Illegal gambling machines do not undergo the same stringent regulatory requirements the legal gaming industry meets, including a licensing process, game testing and reporting and responsible gaming – nor are they monitored to ensure fair play for customers. Unregulated machine operators also lack training in responsible gaming, potentially luring children and those with problem gambling behaviors to use these machines.
• Recent raids of illegal gaming machines have been tied to drug trafficking, gang activity, violence and have also been linked to several major organized crime families.

To combat the spread of illegal machines, the report recommends:

• Law enforcement and policymakers need to prioritize robust enforcement of laws to root out illegal and unregulated gaming machines.
• States and communities must not authorize these machines and continue to erode regulations and permit unnecessary consumer risk.
• Businesses should actively remove illegal and unregulated games on their properties.

The regulated gaming industry and law enforcement communities share concerns about the threat illegal gambling machines pose to communities.

“History has taught us that unregulated gambling gives rise to an array of legal and social concerns and ultimately erodes public confidence in the safety and integrity of the whole gaming industry,” said Arizona Attorney General and former Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming Mark Brnovich.

“Legal gaming provides immense benefits to the communities it serves – and operating with a gaming license is a privilege that our industry takes seriously,” said AGA Vice President of Government Relations and Gaming Policy Counsel Jessica Feil. “Unfortunately, there’s been a rapid increase of unregulated gaming machines that exist in the shadows, taking advantage of loopholes and flouting the law, with little to no oversight. These machines ultimately endanger consumers and communities, fueling problem gambling and crime while drawing important tax revenue away from states.”

Background

Maintaining the integrity of the gaming industry and continuing to benefit our communities is a top priority of the AGA. Casino gaming is now a legal, regulated industry in 44 states, generating over $261 billion in economic impact and $41 billion in direct tax revenue, supporting more than 1.8 million jobs nationwide. Illegal gambling machines have been found in dozens of states and continue to bypass these laws and regulations, harming communities and consumers nationwide.

WASHINGTON – American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller outlined his optimism for the gaming industry’s recovery in AGA’s annual State of the Industry address today at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2020.

Miller heralded the industry’s ability to rebound stronger than ever throughout his remarks. “Gaming’s continued innovation, coupled with our deep-rooted culture of compliance, have our industry on solid ground as we continue our recovery.”

Miller pointed to new AGA research showing that more Americans view gaming positively than ever before as evidence of a strong foundation for the industry’s recovery. Fifty percent of American adults have a favorable impression of the casino industry, up five points in two years. Additionally, 9 in 10 (89%) adults view gambling as an acceptable form of entertainment.

“We have built this support over many decades,” said Miller. “As gaming has grown from two states in 1978 to 44 states today, more and more Americans have gotten to know us…They recognize the positive impact we deliver: The jobs we support; the small businesses we sustain; and the tax revenue we contribute…These are the reasons Americans have embraced gaming and they will fuel gaming’s recovery.”

Miller highlighted AGA’s three priorities to unite the industry and aid gaming’s recovery:

1. Building Champions on Capitol Hill: Working alongside the Congressional Gaming Caucus to advance the industry’s legislative goals, including further COVID-19 economic assistance, tax relief, and liability protections.
2. Payments Modernization: Advancing payments modernization will accelerate gaming’s modernization, help limit the spread of COVID-19, and give consumers new tools to gamble responsibly.
3. Growing the Legal Sports Betting Market: Supporting the expansion of legal, regulated sports betting through responsible gaming and strong regulatory frameworks is essential to driving out the illegal marketplace.

2020 marks the 25^th anniversary of the AGA: “While COVID-19 may have shifted our plans, we never lost our focus. If anything, the pandemic has elevated AGA’s role as the leading advocate for the American gaming industry. No matter how big the challenge, we have always worked hard to help this industry overcome it. And I’m confident we can do it again.”

View the full schedule for G2E 2020, held Oct. 27-28, here.

AGA President and CEO Bill Miller sent the following industry update on June 12, 2020.

Our industry is on a steady path to recovery as more than 60 percent of America’s casinos have reopened, with many reporting higher-than-anticipated demand. It was certainly a highlight for me to see the doors open in Las Vegas, the heartbeat of American gaming, last week.

Today’s economic realities were hard to imagine even a few short months ago before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Looking at the numbers, 2020 was shaping up to be a tremendous year. U.S. commercial gaming revenue was up 10.6 percent in January and February 2020 over the same period in 2019.

These early 2020 numbers were carryovers from a markedly successful 2019, the fifth consecutive year of growth for gaming. Gaming’s expansion in 2019 is the focal point of the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) State of the States 2020. The annual report details the commercial gaming industry’s financial performance for the previous year, including analyses of the 25 states with commercial gaming operations. Notably, 2019 marked the fifth consecutive year of commercial gaming revenue growth, up 3.7 percent, to $43.6 billion.

The successes detailed in this year’s report are in stark contrast to where we are today. But it is also a great reminder of the significant role gaming plays in shoring up local and state economies and supporting the jobs and careers of nearly two million Americans. As mandated closures continue to let up, gaming will be pivotal to a quick and sustained recovery for our communities, our employees, and our customers.

Throughout the pandemic, it’s been the AGA’s commitment to keep you updated with the latest in Washington as well as to provide analysis and resources to help you navigate new business needs. Please find more details on State of the States as well as the latest resources below.

All the best,

Bill Miller
President & CEO

Record Year for Gaming Reinforces Industry’s Role as Economic and Community Driver

State of the States 2020 is the definitive economic analysis of the U.S. commercial casino industry and its significant economic impact in the 25 U.S. states with commercial gaming operations. Key findings include:

• Commercial gaming revenue topped $43.6 billion in 2019, up 3.7 percent from 2018.
• 21 of 25 commercial gaming states experienced year-over-year revenue increases, with Massachusetts (+163.1%), New Jersey (+19.5%), and Arkansas (+15.1%) reporting the largest jumps.
• The industry generated $10.2 billion in gaming taxes for state and local governments, enough to support the annual education cost for 832,000 elementary and secondary school students.

You can find the full State of States report on AmericanGaming.org as well as the companion State of Play map, which provides the report findings in an easy-to-use, interactive tool.

Next Relief Package Stalls on Capitol Hill

Formal negotiations on the next relief package have yet to begin as Senate Republicans continue to take a wait-and-see approach on the economy reopening and continuing implementation of CARES Act programs. Current activity suggests discussions could pick up in late June or early July, however, the timeline could be impacted by several factors including pressure from the Paycheck Protection Program exhausting funds, rising unemployment/expiring unemployment benefits, the start of many State fiscal years (July 1), and finding agreement on liability protection. As we await action on the next package, the AGA continues to stay engaged with our allies in the business community and on the Hill to ensure the legislation reflects our policy priorities including liability protection and expanded tax relief.

Nearly 60 Percent of U.S. Casinos Open

621 casinos across 29 states will be open for business today, 62.8% of the 989 total. This includes 306 commercial casinos (65.8% of total) and 315 tribal properties (60.1% of total). Indiana, Colorado, Ohio, and Maryland are the next states to allow reopening in the coming week.

To prepare for a safe, responsible reopening, casino operators have been rethinking every aspect of the gaming experience and establishing robust protocols to safeguard the health of guests and employees. The AGA’s new Responsibility Reopening Casino Gaming for Employees and Guests resource provides an overview of various practices that gaming companies are implementing to promote a healthy reopening environment.

March 16, 2018 

(PRESS RELEASE) — The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced today that it has added six new companies as Board-level members, welcoming BMM Testlabs, Choctaw Casinos and Resorts, Golden Entertainment, GVC Holdings PLC, Paddy Power Betfair and The Stars Group to the AGA Board of Directors.

“More than ever before, AGA’s diverse membership reflects the broad interests of the casino gaming industry,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of AGA. “Adding these six industry leaders will help our ability to serve as an effective advocate for the industry as a whole, and we’re excited to add their expertise to our Board.”

BMM Testlabs: BMM Testlabs is a highly experienced private independent gaming testing laboratory working in the gaming industry globally for over 36 years.

Choctaw Casinos and Resorts: Owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts feature a variety of gaming, hotel and resort properties throughout southeastern Oklahoma.

Golden Entertainment: Golden Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates gaming properties across two divisions – resort and casino operations and distributed gaming. The company operates approximately 16,000 gaming devices, 114 table games and 5,162 hotel rooms, and provides jobs for more than 7,200 team members.

GVC Holdings PLC: GVC Holdings PLC is a multinational sports betting and gaming group. GVC is a constituent member of the FTSE 250, with its shares traded on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. GVC is licensed to operate in New Jersey through bwin.party.

Paddy Power Betfair: Paddy Power Betfair is one of the world’s leading sports betting and gambling operators, formed from the 2016 merger of Paddy Power and Betfair Group PLC.

The Stars Group: The Stars Group is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. Through its Stars Interactive Group gaming division, The Stars Group ultimately owns gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, including PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars and Full Tilt.

In addition to joining as a Board-level member, BMM Testlabs and AGA have entered into a multi-year strategic alliance to provide the AGA and its members value through increased engagement and expertise sharing on regulatory issues. BMM has been a long-standing AGA member and actively engaged on AGA’s Sports Betting Task Force and Next Generation Gaming Policy Working Group. Through this strategic relationship, BMM will play a greater role in helping to support AGA strategic priorities, including driving an efficient regulatory reform process and supporting policies that promote industry reinvestment and innovation.

“We’re excited to be working more closely with the AGA and its membership to help advance industry priorities like regulatory reform,” said BMM Global President and CEO Martin Storm. “As our industry seeks to learn more about these new opportunities, we look forward to educating key stakeholders, including regulators, legislators, suppliers and operators across the global gaming landscape.”

Original Article: http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article/american-gaming-association-adds-six-new-members-224805

In the face of slowing revenue expansion, gaming industry leaders continue to hold an overall positive view of the current business situation, with a notable improvement in credit conditions, according to the latest American Gaming Association (AGA) Gaming Industry Outlook. 

The majority of respondents (88%) view the current state of the gaming industry as either good or satisfactory. Meanwhile, executives have a more conservative outlook on future business conditions, with respondents split on whether they expect conditions to improve over the next three-to-six months (3% net positive) and many expecting a decrease in customer activity (28% net negative). 

“After years of very strong consumer gaming spending growth, expectations around customer activity over the next three to six months have cooled considerably,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. “Still, gaming businesses remain well positioned, with executives touting strong balance sheets and more viewing access to credit as easy than restrictive for the first time in two years.” 

Gaming Executive Panel 
Since Q1, gaming executives’ sentiment has shifted, with a greater number of respondents now expecting a decline in customer activity over the next three to six months (28% net negative, up from 4% net negative in Q1). Despite this, panelists foresee improvements in overall balance sheet health (34% net positive). 

Additionally, more executives reported access to credit as easy (19%) rather than restrictive (3%) for the first time in two years, and fewer cite interest rates as a major limiting factor than in the spring. 

• Hotel (56%) and food and beverage facilities (56%) continue to be the main and growing focus of capital investment among operators, followed by live entertainment (28%) and casino floor slots (22%).
• Meanwhile, gaming equipment suppliers now believe their pace of capital investment and game sales will decelerate (13% net negative). 

These expectations are impacted by evolving macroeconomic challenges, with uncertainty of the economic environment vaulting to the top of executive concerns (56%, up from 34% in Q1), followed by state regulatory concerns (31%), and inflationary or interest rate concerns and geopolitical risk (both 34%). 

The Current Conditions Index
The Current Conditions Index for Q3 2024 was 97.3, which is consistent with real annualized contraction of 2.7 percent. The Current Conditions Index measures real economic activity in the industry, as measured by gaming revenue, employment and employee wages and salaries. 

The Future Conditions Index 
The Future Conditions Index, a leading indicator of changes in industry conditions, measured 98.9 in Q3. This indicates an environment in which real economic activity in the gaming sector, after controlling for underlying inflation, is expected to moderately decrease over the next six months (1.1% annualized rate). 

About the Outlook
The AGA Gaming Industry Outlook is prepared biannually by Oxford Economics. It provides a timely measure of recent industry growth and future expectations. The Q3 2024 survey was conducted between August 21 and September 6, 2024. A total of 32 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.  

WASHINGTON – The American Gaming Association (AGA) today released a new study quantifying the expansive annual impact the casino gaming industry has on the U.S. economy. Conducted by Oxford economics, findings show the U.S. commercial and tribal gaming industry:

• Contributes $328.6 billion to the U.S. economy.
• Supports 1.8 million jobs and $104 billion of wages and salaries across the country.
• Generates $52.7 billion in tax revenue to federal, state and local governments.

“The U.S. gaming industry delivers long-term growth and impact to communities, generating significant tax revenue, creating strong jobs, supporting local small businesses, and funding critical community priorities,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller during State of the Industry remarks at G2E 2023.

According to the report, America’s gaming industry directly employs more than 700,000 people in the U.S. Put in context with the broader U.S. economy:

• Gaming provides more direct jobs than the air transportation, postal service or motion picture and video sectors.
• Direct casino employment accounts for 1 in 33 leisure and hospitality jobs.

The $53 billion in taxes generated by the gaming industry provides critical funding for local public programs and services, including education, infrastructure and economic development, as well as supplemental revenue for state general funds.

Recent, related AGA research shows the economic benefits generated by gaming are widely recognized by Americans, with a record 71 percent of adults saying the casino gaming industry has a positive impact on the U.S. economy.

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Background

• 45 states and the District of Columbia currently offer commercial and/or tribal gaming markets including casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming.
• AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker shows that 2023 industry revenue through July is pacing 11 percent ahead of 2022’s record revenue year for commercial gaming.
• 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.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $17.71 billion in Q3 2024, the industry’s highest-grossing Q3 on record, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. This makes Q3 2024 the industry’s 15th consecutive quarter of annual revenue growth, with September marking the 43rd straight month of rising year-over-year commercial gaming revenue.

Through the first nine months of the year, nationwide commercial gaming revenue stands at $53.24 billion, pacing 8.0 percent ahead of 2023 and putting the industry on track for a fourth straight record revenue year.

In Q3 2024, 29 of the 35 commercial gaming jurisdictions operational last year saw increased year-over-year revenue. This growth resulted in an 8.9 percent year-over-year increase in state and local taxes tied directly to gaming revenue, with commercial gaming operators contributing $3.79 billion in taxes across the quarter.

Quarterly revenue from land-based gaming – encompassing casino slots, table games and retail sports betting – totaled $12.56 billion, 0.62 percent lower than Q3 2023. Meanwhile, combined revenue from online sports betting and iGaming totaled $5.14 billion in Q3 2024 as online gaming made up 29.0 percent of commercial gaming revenue, a significantly higher share than in Q3 2023.

Looking at each sector in Q3 2024:

• Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.38 billion, a contraction of 0.9 percent year-over-year.
• Legal Sports Betting: Americans legally wagered $30.3 billion on sports, generating $3.24 billion in quarterly revenue (+42.4% YoY). Recent market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont contributed to this growth.
• iGaming: iGaming generated $2.08 billion in revenue, marking a 30.3 percent year-over-year increase.

“Q3 2024 continued gaming’s momentum from the first half of the year, with online casino and sports betting driving strong growth. At the same time, new brick-and-mortar casino openings bolstered traditional gaming, which still accounts for the bulk of industry revenue,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. “More than a quarter of commercial revenue now regularly comes from online sources, raising the importance of continued sustainable growth with consumers in those states.”

AGA’s report estimates that Americans bet more than $510.9 billion a year with illegal and unregulated operators. This costs the legal industry $44.2 billion in gaming revenue and state governments $13.3 billion in lost tax revenue.

The legal gaming industry is among the most highly regulated industries in America. Whether it is financial solvency and other licensing requirements, know your customer or anti-money laundering regulations, legal gaming operators and suppliers comply with thousands of laws and regulations designed to ensure consumer protections and confidence in the gaming market.

Illegal and unregulated gambling operators do not follow any of these standards, which exposes consumers to severe risk and undermines the economic and tax contributions of the legal gaming industry. Unlike legal operators, illegal operators also don’t pay a dime in taxes.

AGA’s report, Sizing the Illegal and Unregulated Gaming Markets in the U.S., estimates that Americans bet more than $510.9 billion a year with illegal and unregulated operators. This costs the legal industry $44.2 billion in gaming revenue and state governments $13.3 billion in lost tax revenue.

Sports Betting Findings
AGA’s report estimates that Americans wager $63.8 billion with illegal bookies and offshore sites at a cost of $3.8 billion in gaming revenue and $700 million in state taxes. With Americans projected to place $100 billion in legal sports bets this year, these findings imply that illegal sportsbook operators are capturing nearly 40 percent of the U.S. sports betting market.

The report also finds that 49 percent of past-year sports bettors have placed a bet with an illegal operator. Previous AGA research shows that more than half of Americans that bet on sports with illegal operators believe they are wagering legally.

iGaming Findings
Americans wager an estimated $337.9 billion with illegal iGaming websites, with a loss of $3.9 billion in state tax revenue. With $13.5 billion in estimated revenue, the illegal iGaming market in the U.S. is nearly three times the size of the legal U.S. iGaming market, estimated to be $5 billion in 2022.

With iGaming only legal in six states, nearly half of Americans (48%) that have played online slots or table games in the past year have played with illegal online casinos.

Unregulated and  “Skill Machine” Findings
Unregulated gaming machines, including so-called “skill machines,” also continue to proliferate, with an estimated 580,651 unregulated machines in the U.S. With 870,000 regulated machines in casinos and slot routes, that means 40% of all gaming machines in the U.S. are unlicensed.

Based on state regulatory data for similar machines, the operator win percentage on unregulated gambling machines is significantly higher than legal casino slot machines. During the past 12 months, slot machines in Nevada have a 7.16 percent win rate, compared to a nearly 25 percent estimated win rate for unregulated machines—demonstrating how unregulated machines take advantage of customers.

Methodology
The study was conducted by The Innovation Group on behalf of the American Gaming Association and is based largely on a survey of 5,284 U.S adults, examining their past-year gambling behaviors with both legal and illegal operators as well as their observations of unregulated gaming machines. It also incorporates publicly available data on the size of the legal U.S. gaming market and certain state gaming machine markets.