WASHINGTON – Today, the American Gaming Association sent a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reinforcing AGA’s priorities for successful legal sports betting markets and commitment to work with Sen. Schumer and all stakeholders working to stamp out the vast illegal market.
“AGA has long been a leading advocate for eliminating the vast illegal sports betting market in the U.S., which was largely enabled by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA),” the letter stated. “We believe this can best be achieved through law enforcement oversight and robust state regulation. AGA firmly believes that additional federal engagement is not warranted at this time.”
Read the full letter here.
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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WASHINGTON – Today, the American Gaming Association sent a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reinforcing AGA’s priorities for successful legal sports betting markets and commitment to work with Sen. Schumer and all stakeholders working to stamp out the vast illegal market.
“AGA has long been a leading advocate for eliminating the vast illegal sports betting market in the U.S., which was largely enabled by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA),” the letter stated. “We believe this can best be achieved through law enforcement oversight and robust state regulation. AGA firmly believes that additional federal engagement is not warranted at this time.”
Read the full letter here.
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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It’s been one year since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the failed federal ban on sports betting.
At the American Gaming Association (AGA), we’ve made it a priority to understand how the expansion of legal markets affects consumers, operators, governments, leagues and other stakeholders.
Check out the one pagers on the right of this page for AGA’s top research on sports betting and an infographic showing all of the progress from the past year.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Americans are increasingly embracing casino gaming and sports betting as acceptable forms of entertainment and responsible industries, according to new consumer survey results from the American Gaming Association (AGA). The new data comes ahead of Responsible Gaming Education Month this September and on the eve of the seventh NFL season with widespread legal wagering.
Among new high-water marks in consumer sentiment, 75% of Americans believe the gaming industry behaves responsibly in the communities where it operates, 9 in 10 Americans view sports betting as an acceptable form of entertainment, and 75% of Americans support legal sports betting in their home state.
“These latest survey results highlight a consistent trend over the years: as gaming expands to new audiences, Americans increasingly see the benefits of a legal, regulated gaming marketplace that contributes to communities, prioritizes responsibility and provides unmatched entertainment,” said Joe Maloney, AGA Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications.
The study reveals particular increases in favorable views toward the industry’s commitments to responsible gaming, with 65% of Americans now saying the gaming industry is committed to encouraging responsible gaming and combating problem gambling—a notable rise from 55% last year. This confidence is even stronger among those who engage with the industry directly, with 81% of physical casino players and 88% of sports bettors agreeing with this sentiment, up from 70% and 78%, respectively last year.
This sentiment is driven by increased perceptions across several areas:
Responsible Marketing and Advertising
Americans are taking notice of the legal industry’s efforts around responsible marketing and advertising marketing, with 65% of respondents saying they believe the industry is truthful in its marketing and advertising, up from 58% last year. Additionally, 73% view the industry as responsible in its marketing efforts, up from 68% in 2022.
Effectiveness of Responsible Gaming Programs
Data shows 66% of Americans believe the gaming industry’s responsible gaming programs are effective, up from 59% last year. Among those who participate in gaming, 79% of physical casino players and 85% of sports bettors agree that these programs are effective.
Increased Awareness of Responsible Gaming Messages
The study shows a significant rise in the number of Americans exposed to responsible gaming information. Specifically, 46% of land-based casino players and 57% of sports bettors noted an increase in responsible gaming messaging. Notably, 66% of all Americans say they have encountered responsible gaming messaging in the past year, up from 56% in 2022.
Familiarity with Responsible Gaming Resources
Awareness of responsible gaming resources has grown, with 76% of Americans familiar with at least one responsible gaming resource, an increase from 65% in 2022. Awareness is particularly high among industry participants, with 92% of land-based players and 96% of sports bettors familiar with at least one responsible gaming resource.
“The gaming industry’s responsibility efforts are stronger than ever, and consumers are noticing,” continued Maloney. “As we embark on another Responsible Gaming Education Month, we’re more energized than ever to continue our work to give consumers the legal, safe and fun gaming experiences that they want and deserve.”
For more information on the AGA’s responsible gaming programs and to view the full report, visit www.americangaming.org.
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Methodology
Kantar, on behalf of the AGA, conducted an online survey July 31 – August 9, 2024 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 registered voters aged 21 and over related to responsible gaming and industry perceptions. The margin of error is +/- 2 percent and greater among subgroups.
The NFL’s annual revenue may increase by $2.3 billion a year due to widely available, legal, regulated sports betting, according to new AGA research.
The study analyzes the revenue streams that legal sports betting could generate for the NFL: revenue as a result of spending from betting operators on advertising, data and sponsorship, and revenue generated as a result of increased consumption of the league’s media and purchasing of products.
The American Gaming Association released the following statement after Gov. Whitmer signed a bill to legalize sports betting in Michigan:
“With Gov. Whitmer’s signature, twenty states plus DC have now legalized sports betting in the United States, capping off a tremendous year of growth,” said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “These new markets offer more Americans a safe, legal way to wager on sports while positively impacting communities, like in Michigan, where revenue from sports betting will generate needed resources for public education, first responders, and, importantly, responsible gaming.”
Today, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released the following statement after the D.C. Council passed the “Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018” (Bill 22-944).
“We are encouraged by the D.C. Council’s vote today to authorize sports wagering in the District. This decision represents a step in the right direction when it comes to protecting consumers and the integrity of sports,” said Sara Slane, AGA’s senior vice president of public affairs. “We’re pleased the bill adheres to a number of AGA’s priorities for successful sports betting legislation, including promoting responsible gaming, instituting a reasonable tax rate and excluding any ‘integrity fees’ or ‘exclusive data fees,’ which have been rightfully rejected in every other jurisdiction that has enacted sports betting legislation.
“While the vote today is progress, we remain deeply concerned about giving the lottery a virtual monopoly in the mobile market. Predictably, this will result in less investment and innovation, to the detriment of consumers and the ability of a nascent legal marketplace to compete with the accessibility and convenience offered by many established illegal wagering operations. AGA urges District policymakers to reevaluate the merits of this key aspect of their framework and allow greater competition in the future. AGA remains available to serve as a resource to the District and any other jurisdiction looking to create legal sports betting markets, protecting consumers and generating economic benefits in the process.”
WASHINGTON – Today, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released the following statement after Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that MGM Resorts will become the MLB’s official gaming partner.
“Agreements between sports leagues and the gaming industry enable all sports stakeholders to work together to eliminate the illegal sports betting market,” said Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs for the American Gaming Association. “With MLB’s announcement today, three major sports leagues now have official sports betting partners – evidence of our continued commitment to protecting the integrity of both consumers and sporting competitions and that contracts remain preferential to statutes in all sports betting deals.”
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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Washington, D.C. – Indiana State Representative Alan Morrison has introduced a bill that would legalize sports betting if the federal ban – the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act – is lifted.
A provision in Morrison’s bill mandates that sports betting operators pay sports leagues 20 percent – before the state receives its proceeds.
Below is a statement from American Gaming Association President and Chief Executive Officer Geoff Freeman regarding the legislation:
“While we applaud Representative Morrison’s efforts to bring legal, transparent sports betting to Indiana, handing sports leagues 20 percent of what’s left over after winnings are paid out, undercuts its economic viability. Doing so will ensure the illegal market continues to thrive in the state, and gut the tax revenues available to fund essential public services. We believe Indiana taxpayers deserve better.
“We encourage Indiana to reject this short-sighted, misinformed idea, which simply replaces a failed federal prohibition with bad state policy. Our goal is to eliminate the illegal market, protect consumers and strengthen the integrity of the game. We invite all stakeholders to join us in working together in a thoughtful and transparent fashion.”
WASHINGTON – American Gaming Association (AGA) Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Sara Slane issued the following statement regarding Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s statement on legalized sports betting.
“The casino gaming industry shares Senator Schumer’s goal in preserving the integrity of sporting events and providing consumer protections. Federal oversight of sports betting was an abject failure for 26 years only contributing to a thriving illegal market with no consumer protections and safeguards. New federal mandates are a nonstarter.
“The casino industry is working with stakeholders to ensure the proper protections for consumers, and the integrity of bets and sporting contests are included in state policy, universally implemented by all operators in those states, and overseen by effective state and tribal gaming regulators.”
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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WASHINGTON – American Gaming Association (AGA) Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Sara Slane issued the following statement regarding Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s statement on legalized sports betting.
“The casino gaming industry shares Senator Schumer’s goal in preserving the integrity of sporting events and providing consumer protections. Federal oversight of sports betting was an abject failure for 26 years only contributing to a thriving illegal market with no consumer protections and safeguards. New federal mandates are a nonstarter.
“The casino industry is working with stakeholders to ensure the proper protections for consumers, and the integrity of bets and sporting contests are included in state policy, universally implemented by all operators in those states, and overseen by effective state and tribal gaming regulators.”
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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