The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced a first-time unified campaign for political support called “Gaming Votes,” with eyes toward lobbying 2016 presidential candidates.
Speaking at the campaign launch at Aristocrat Technologies on Feb. 12, Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International and Chairman of the American Gaming Association, discussed key points of the national voting initiative in key presidential election states.
One of the initiative’s main goals is to ensure that presidential candidates understand gaming’s positive impact. “We’re going to call on presidential candidates to become more educated about this industry, to replace myths with facts, and to let these candidates know the gaming industry is a gateway to middle-class jobs,” said AGA President Geoff Freeman.
“When they’re talking about issues like putting Americans back to work, reforming the regulatory burdens in this country, tax reform, infrastructure — they’re talking about issues important to the gaming industry,” Freeman added.
The gaming association also hopes to make casinos a focus in battleground states—including Nevada, Iowa, Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio—by using the magic word: jobs.
The AGA, which represents the interests of commercial casinos, Native American tribes and gambling machine manufacturers, pushed 1.7 million jobs in the industry that span more than 200 different types of careers, and 62,000 casino-related jobs are expected to be added this year.
Along with urging candidates to support issues that benefit the industry, the plan will also involve encouraging the industry’s workers in those states to go to the polls. However, an outright presidential endorsement isn’t expected.
“We provide the facts and we leave it up to others to make the decisions,” said Freeman in a teleconference.
Gaming Votes is part of a larger effort by the gaming association to hone the casino industry’s public perception. Last year, the association launched its “Get to Know Gaming” campaign and ran ads in Massachusetts while voters were considering a ballot measure that would have banned casinos in the state.
