Lawmakers from states that host gambling in some form met in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the 29th annual National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS,) PlayUSA reported January 3.
The confab, attended by more than 40 lawmakers, also included regulators and industry leaders who shared an interest in how jurisdictions can keep up with ever changing technology that makes the gaming market a moving target.
The convention was founded in 1995 by Florida lawmaker Steve Geller. In those days there were only land-based casinos, horse racing and the lottery. This year included discussion on sports betting, online gaming, responsible gaming, tribal gaming, daily fantasy sports, esports and how to fight black market gambling.
Geller, interviewed by PlayUSA, recalled sending out letters “to committee chairs of 40-something states that had some form of gambling. We heard back from legislators from 15 states that they would be interested.” The first conference was held in Denver in 1996.
The meeting, said NCLGS President Shawn Fluharty, is “the only conference where all the decision-makers, legislators and regulators, meet in one spot.”
The purpose is not to promote gaming but to ensure that the sector is properly regulated.
Geller told PlayUSA, “We do not take any position pro or anti-gambling. We were the only group you could go to and see the president of the American Gaming Association and the reverend who headed the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. Because our attitude is it’s up to each state to decide if they want gambling. But if you’re going to have it, it needs to be properly regulated and we think legislators need to hear all sides.”
He was president of the organization for the first seven years and is still its general counsel.
When Spectrum Gaming became executive director of the conference in 2015 it began inviting members of the industry to meet with legislators. Today about 300 people attend.
The conference is purely non-partisan. A former Ohio lawmaker and former president of the conference, Bill Coley, told PlayUSA: “The thing that’s greatest about it is everyone puts their political hat away.”
He added, “You don’t see a lot of people fighting about are you a Democrat or a Republican. They’re all for good public policy. I think that’s always been the crux of what NCLGS was about.”
