As part of its Gaming Votes initiative, the American Gaming Association is recognizing casino employees during International Housekeepers Week, September 13-19, and Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15. Under its Gaming Votes initiative, the AGA is inviting presidential candidates to support the casino industry, since it offers a path to the middle class for thousands of Latinos.
The AGA previously released an Oxford Economics report, “Gaming Careers: Gateway to the Middle Class,” which found the casino industry ranks among the top of those that employ a diverse workforce. Racial or ethnic minorities make up 45 percent of gaming’s workforce, far more than the nation’s 33 percent average. Hispanic employees make up 20 percent of gaming workers, compared to the national average of 15 percent.
Sara Rayme, AGA senior vice president of public affairs, said, “We’re proud to provide a path to the middle class for workers of all backgrounds and experiences, and we especially recognize the one-in-five gaming employees who are Latinos as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and International Housekeepers Week. As candidates seek support from Latino voters, we invite them to meet with our diverse workforce and gain a better understanding of how the casino gaming industry works.”
Earlier this year, the AGA launched its first-ever “Gaming Votes” initiative to educate candidates about the industry and inform gaming employees about the candidates—particularly in key early-voting and battleground states which also are casino states. In advance of caucuses and elections, the AGA will compile a voter guide gaming employees.
The AGA also supports bipartisan legislation, the New Americans Success Act of 2015, introduced in July in the U.S. House of Representatives and already used by many casino companies to help workers boost their language skills, further their education and apply for citizenship.
