Leading the Fight Against Human Trafficking
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is observed each January. But combating human trafficking isn’t confined to a single industry or a single month. It’s an everyday fight, and the gaming community has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead.
Moral & Legal Imperative
Human trafficking is a pervasive, evolving crime that intersects with travel, hospitality, financial systems and public spaces. Casinos and gaming facilities often operate at the crossroads of these sectors. As a result, the industry has a moral and legal obligation to take steps to identify, prevent and respond to potential trafficking activity, ensuring that both customers and employees are protected.
The AGA and its members have long supported efforts to uphold strong compliance, integrity and responsibility. Our Guide to Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in the Gaming Industry outlines how gaming operations may be targeted. It provides an overview of applicable laws and enforcement frameworks and offers practical steps operators can take to prevent and respond to suspected trafficking.
Training remains a cornerstone of effective prevention. In partnership with RG24seven, the AGA has created a free, first-of-its-kind education program that helps gaming employees identify indicators of human trafficking and understand reporting protocols, with specific modules for different kinds of employees.
These trainings emphasize situational awareness, victim-centered response and coordination with internal security teams and external authorities. They reinforce a crucial point: Combating human trafficking is about recognizing the behaviors and patterns that may signal coercion or exploitation.
The industry’s commitment is further demonstrated through partnerships with nonprofits like the 911 Cell Phone Bank. In 2025, the AGA was recognized as Partner of the Year for helping transform electronic devices into life-saving tools. Through this collaboration, hundreds of casinos across the country donated unclaimed devices that were cleared and redistributed. These phones provide survivors of human trafficking with a critical connection to resources like emergency services, support networks and loved ones.
Strength in Numbers
The gaming industry doesn’t confront this challenge alone. Human trafficking intersects with other sectors including hotels, transportation and logistics—and the AGA actively supports information-sharing and collaboration across industries. These partnerships help align best practices, improve detection and strengthen collective responses to trafficking networks that often operate across jurisdictions.
Government collaboration is equally critical. The AGA works closely with state, local and tribal governments as well as federal partners to support coordinated anti-trafficking efforts. This includes engagement with regulators and agencies that provide guidance, training resources and best practices. Federal initiatives such as the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign have helped elevate awareness, standardize reporting tools and create resource hubs that are particularly valuable for gaming and hospitality operations.
Large-scale events bring increased travel, tourism and economic activity, which traffickers have historically sought to exploit. Gaming destinations often sit at the center of these events, hosting visitors, fans and workers from across the country and around the world. As the country prepares for major sporting and cultural events this year—including the FIFA World Cup and the America 250 commemoration this summer—awareness and preparedness take on added importance. In these moments, trained front-line employees—who serve as the first line of defense—combined with proactive planning and coordination play a vital role in identifying and preventing potential nefarious activity.
Cornerstones of Compliance
These efforts align with the industry’s longstanding culture of compliance. From robust anti-money laundering programs to age and identity verification requirements and ongoing employee education, gaming operators are accustomed to operating within rigorous regulatory frameworks. Anti-trafficking initiatives strengthen this foundation, reinforcing the principle that criminal activity has no place in legal, state and tribal regulated gaming markets.
The AGA has also turned its attention to how the industry can better support trafficking survivors, particularly when it comes to employment. Because of the highly regulated nature of our business, survivors often feel closed out of employment opportunities within gaming. Last January, the AGA convened a roundtable in Las Vegas with regulators, operators and nonprofits that work with survivors to discuss barriers to employment.
This is just one example. And we’ll continue to look for opportunities to bring stakeholders together to help support people who have been trafficked and provide pathways to successful employment in the industry.
Preventing human trafficking requires vigilance and partnership. The AGA remains committed to supporting gaming operators, regulators and law enforcement in this work—ensuring that gaming facilities are not only places of entertainment, but environments that protect our communities and uphold the public trust.
