Insight
US American Gaming Association
Geoff Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer American Gaming Association
“The gaming industry is strongest when it works together. AGA, NIGA and the entire gaming industry is best positioned to achieve our collective interests through inclusivity, transparency and a focus on issues of common cause. Ernie and I have formed a strong partnership since I began at AGA more than three years ago.”
G2E: Commercial and Tribal Gaming unification keynote
For the first time, attendees at the G2E show in Las Vegas will see the leaders from tribal and commercial gaming – NIGA Chairman Ernest Stevens Jr. and AGA President and CEO Geoff Freeman – on stage together to discuss the further unification and evolution of the relationship between the casino industry’s two key sectors. G3 spoke to Geoff Freeman about the historic keynote
It’s a chance to share with a broad audience how NIGA and AGA work together as partners every day through open, straightforward communication. AGA and NIGA serve important roles for our respective memberships, and we look forward to future opportunities to work collaboratively on a broad range of issues facing our diverse industry.
Geoff, could you outline the AGA’s unity plans with NIGA for our readers?
When we look at the big picture issues facing the gaming industry, it's clear that commercial and tribal gaming entities have more that aligns us than divides us. I look forward to taking the stage with Ernie at G2E to show how we have been and can continue to work together on the most pressing issues facing our industry. It’s a chance to share with a broad audience how NIGA and AGA work together as partners every day through open, straightforward communication. AGA and NIGA serve important roles for our respective memberships, and we look forward to future opportunities to work collaboratively on a broad range of issues facing our diverse industry.
How important is it to build unity between the AGA and NIGA - and why has it taken until now to announce unification plans?
Te gaming industry is strongest when it works together. AGA, NIGA and the entire gaming industry is best positioned to achieve our collective interests through inclusivity, transparency and a focus on issues of common cause. Ernie and I have formed a strong partnership since I began at AGA more than three years ago.
What are the areas that you’re initially looking to work with NIGA to address - and what are the longer-term goals?
Whether it’s stopping bad ideas from coming to fruition, such as the IRS proposal to lower the tax withholding threshold, or seeking a new approach to sports betting, we’re already working together. Ernie, who was inducted into AGA’s Gaming Hall of Fame in 2014, is a strong leader and great partner.
P48 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
247.COM
Will you be advertising the strong positive Get To Know Gaming messages regarding the economic benefits of gaming in relation to tribal gaming casinos?
Absolutely. In fact, we already have. In 2014, we released a first-ever study, conducted by Oxford Economics, that shows gaming across the country – both tribal and commercial – is a $240 billion industry that supports 1.7 million jobs.
On a state-by-state level, we are encouraging tribal gaming companies to share just how much of an impact they have on their communities, as doing so will help to change perceptions about our industry and allow us to tell the best story possible.
Further, AGA hosts roundtable events in gaming markets across the country as part of our Get to Know Gaming campaign. We look forward to hosting events in Indian country in the coming months to shine a spotlight on the many benefits tribal gaming brings to communities.
The AGA has been championing calls to control and legalise sports-betting across the US. On a similar theme, what role should the traditional gaming sector play in eSports?
eSports has large revenue streams and provides our industry and opportunity to attract new customers. At our upcoming Global Gaming Expo in September, we will educate our members on eSports and video game competitions so they can best decide how to handle this new, emerging market. Last year’s G2E featured Rahul Sood, founder and CEO of eSports company Unikrn, shed light on this rapidly emerging issue, and we look to build on his insight this September at the Las Vegas expo.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132