The American Gaming Association recently launched the “Get to Know Gaming” campaign, which aims to promote the value of our industry, combat outdated stereotypes and pave the way for regulatory policies that encourage innovation and financial efficiencies—like never before.
Get to Know Gaming is the AGA’s most aggressive, coordinated effort to date to promote gaming across the country. It’s critical for our industry’s positive story to be heard and for policymakers to embrace a regulatory environment that encourages industry growth.
Promote the Value of Gaming
Gaming is an economic engine that enhances communities around the globe. Gaming spurs economic development, creates jobs and provides essential tax revenues to local communities.
According to a 2012 report conducted by the Brattle Group, the commercial casino industry generates $125 billion each year in direct and indirect spending. This spending includes purchases at businesses in the surrounding area and employees’ salaries and benefits.
Our industry creates jobs far beyond the casino floor. Gaming-related jobs span a range of areas, including those in accounting, hotel management, technology, software and retail. The Get to Know Gaming campaign will promote the multi-faceted employment opportunities our industry provides and demonstrate that casinos provide good-paying jobs and serve as a diverse employer.
Combat Outdated Stereotypes
Communities with casinos understand that our industry is a valuable community partner. Many community leaders?including mayors and police chiefs?indicate that casinos have enhanced their communities. Casinos drive visitors to locally owned, small businesses?including restaurants, boutiques and other shops.
Furthermore, non-gaming amenities are a critical component to the entire casino entertainment experience. Get to Know Gaming will affirm the positive benefits of gaming through authoritative research and broadcasting these very facts, which many already realize: casinos serve as an enhancement and partner to local communities.
Moreover, when gaming opponents misinform the public about gaming by retreading tired myths and outdated stereotypes, the AGA will assert its voice, serving as an unapologetic champion of gaming.
Pave the Way for an Efficient, Innovative Regulatory Environment
Voters’ support of casinos has reached an all-time high. Recently released results from a national survey conducted by Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, CEO of the Mellman Group, and Republican pollster Glen Bolger, founder and partner of Public Opinion Strategies, show that American voters have positive views of our industry, and believe casinos create jobs, strengthen communities and support local businesses. Voters have given policymakers permission to treat casinos the same as any other mainstream businesses. It’s time policies match voters’ perspectives.
Many industries receive tax subsidies and breaks from governments as business incentives to enter or remain in a community. Yet, this treatment is not afforded to our industry. Instead, many states have adopted the “tax and torture” model for casino regulation, which is unsustainable and limits our industry’s ability to innovate and to reinvest in further developing competitive entertainment product.
The Get to Know Gaming campaign will pave the way for policymakers to begin to see our industry for what it is—an economic driver and community partner. In turn, this campaign will lead the way toward a more efficient regulatory environment that will allow our industry to thrive.
Get Involved in the Campaign
Get to Know Gaming is a multi-year campaign—it took us decades to arrive to this point and it will take dedicated efforts from the more than 800,000 gaming employees across the U.S. whose jobs depend on gaming in order for us to secure a modernized regulatory environment.
Please stay up to date with the positive messaging and research that we’ve begun to roll out, which unequivocally reveals the positive impact our industry has throughout this country. Visit www.gettoknowgaming.org. Together with unified voice to broadcast gaming’s tremendous value, we will facilitate growth and thrive.
