Speaking to attorneys general from across the U.S., American Gaming Association President and Chief Executive Officer Geoff Freeman invited recently confirmed U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to join the AGA’s new “Stop Illegal Gambling–Play it Safe” initiative. “The legal, highly regulated, 0 billion casino gaming industry invites Attorney General Lynch to join us in exposing illegal gambling through our new initiative that is bringing together law enforcement officials to strengthen communities in every state. Attorney General Lynch has demonstrated a strong track record on this issue and a keen understanding of the serious problem illegal gambling has become across the country, and we hope to work with her to combat shady operators who don’t protect consumers, don’t create jobs and don’t contribute a dime in taxes in support of their communities.”
Lynch had said during the confirmation process that she “would welcome the opportunity to work with Congress to address this issue” of illegal gambling. She pointed out her successes as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, including prosecuting a case in 2011 that was “the largest ever nationally coordinated organized crime takedown against organized crime in the United States. Twelve indictments were unsealed in Brooklyn against 85 individual defendants, including charges against members of all five New York-based La Cosa Nostra families. Those charges included charges for illegal gambling, including illegal sports betting and operation of illegal card games and illegal gambling devices.”
The “Stop Illegal Gambling – Play it Safe” initiative focuses on illegal sports betting, black market machines, internet sweepstakes cafes and illegal online betting.
