American Gaming Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman led a forum of gaming leaders at last week’s Global Gaming Expo in which he put forth AGA’s playbook for the next three years. Freeman described public policy push that shifts AGA’s strategic plan from its traditional defensive posture into a proactive, offensive position.
“Let’s go play offense,” Freeman said. “Let’s go make some really good things happen.”
One of the policy pushes expands upon what was a defensive measure bringing the industry together last year, when the Internal Revenue Service proposed lowering the slot tax-form threshold from $1,200 to $600. “Rather than lowering the slot tax threshold, which was set in the 1970s, I’d like to see us raise the slot tax threshold,” Freeman said. “If you adjust it for inflation, that’s over $5,000—that to me is a great opportunity (we have) to go on offense.”
“This plan is exactly what the industry needs to focus on,” commented panel member Mike Rumbolz, CEO of Everi Holdings. Rumbolz also said the industry as a whole needs to promote the benefits it provides to businesses and citizens around the country.
“We haven’t necessarily explained the virtues of our industry,” he said. “It’s viewed through the lens of Nevada’s early days, which were lacking a lot of regulation and a lot of control.”
The opportunity for states and tribes to potentially implement legal sports betting frameworks also will be part of the AGA’s policy push.
