Meeting Momentum

Over the past month, the AGA has worked to tell the positive story of gaming, open lines of communication between the industry and regulators and set standards for corporate social responsibility.

For the first time, the AGA hosted nearly a dozen gaming academics and experts for a roundtable discussion about the industry. We convened this group to share ideas, present recent work and network with peers in a setting that does not exist anywhere else. Additionally, as part of the AGA’s multi-year public affairs campaign “Get to Know Gaming,” it provided an opportunity to outline the AGA’s policy platform and priorities and to identify potential opportunities for future engagement.

The daylong discussion included topics such as gaming history, lotteries and casino gaming, fantasy sports and sports betting, illegal gambling and criminal networks and casino gaming’s impact on national, regional and niche markets. Attendees included professors and Ph.Ds from some of the top colleges and universities in the country.

Looking forward, the AGA will continue to expand this network of industry experts—and seek opportunities for the industry and academic research communities to collaborate.

Also for the first time, the AGA hosted a gaming regulators roundtable in August. The event brought together regulators from more than a dozen states to communicate with their peers and with the industry.

For our industry to keep up with other mainstream forms of entertainment, we must encourage innovation and adapt to our customers’ needs and wants. To do this, it all starts with legislation that frees operators and regulators from the antiquated and burdensome regulations that are currently in place.

One example of this is a program called “New Jersey First,” which guarantees that any new gaming product submitted to New Jersey regulators prior to any other gaming jurisdiction will be given priority status and tested within 14 days of submission. Nevada also has recognized the need for creating an environment that encourages innovation by allowing skill-based games on casino floors. Both New Jersey and Nevada are great examples of how we appeal to a younger, more tech-savvy customer base.

In July, as part of the AGA’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), the AGA convened a member-only committee comprised of human resources, communications and CSR professionals. Key issue areas included diversity and inclusion, corporate philanthropy and community investment, environmental sustainability, and responsible gaming.

The CSR Committee brought AGA members and global thought leaders and subject experts together to discuss and develop best practices for the industry at large. As our industry continues to grow and be more outward facing, it is important that gaming employees fully understand the value of CSR issues.

Insight on several AGA campaigns that can be used as tools for CSR were also shared, including Get to Know Gaming, Gaming Votes and Face of Gaming.

As our industry comes together at G2E, we look forward to building on these initiatives to provide valuable forums, tools and connections for the entire gaming community.