AGA's Relief to COVID will Benefit the Gaming Industry

Gaming companies are eligible for additional assistance under the $900 billion COVID-19 relief initiatives enacted by Congress Monday, but the head of the American Gaming Association (AGA), while calling for the industry to be robust, urges federal policymakers to do more when they return in January, particularly to spur travel and tourism in 2021.

“The American Gaming Association is encouraged that Congress has agreed on bipartisan legislation, which provides important relief for many Americans and businesses that continue to struggle as a result of the pandemic,” 

-AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said in a statement issued shortly before midnight EST Monday.

He added:

“While this much-needed aid is a significant step, it is imperative that the next Congress act swiftly on additional measures to address the economic challenges facing our nation and our industry.” 

Businesses, like gaming companies, will obtain grants for employee compensation and tax benefits under the Payroll Protection Program in the plan accepted by Congress, provided they fulfill eligibility criteria for those services.

“Gaming communities, companies, and employees across the country have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic—enduring mandated closures and operating restrictions, investing heavily in health and safety protocols, and playing a key role in stopping the community spread of COVID. We’ve met these challenges with resolve and resilience. Congress must do their part to provide meaningful relief for businesses and their communities, whose vitality are inextricably linked. Gaming companies support nearly two million American jobs, provide critical tax revenue, and serve as economic engines in communities all across America.” 

-Miller said.

As 2020 winds down, Miller said in a recent interview with Gaming Today that for everyone in America and the gaming industry this year was the most daunting s no doubt. Both casinos in the US were shut down at one point last month, he added. With growing cases around the world, some casinos are momentarily shutting down or closing hotel towers midweek, as was happening on the Las Vegas Strip.

“We had air travel and hotels face almost existential threats because of the pandemic and because of the shutdowns because of the pandemic,” Miller said. “Challenges is an insufficient word for what we faced in 2020, but the industry is a very resilient industry.” 

Miller said in his statement on Monday that the AGA looks forward to partnering with the 117th Congress and the Biden Administration in 2021 to provide tax reform that will save gaming jobs and reduce expenses, liability provisions that encourage prudent reopening, resources to improve travel and tourism, and critical funding for tribal nations.

Miller added, that a "great deal" can be done by a single gaming industry and was for the previous COVID-19 relief. Miller, who is celebrating his two-year anniversary in the job, said when he came to the AGA, there were occasions when the industry did not unify in its prioritization on government relief and government response to help the industry and it was counterproductive to the industry.

“I think in this case with this set of members we are fortunate to have, the industry put aside self-interest and focused on highest and best relief to the industry. As a part of that, we saw extraordinary relief and support from the federal government."

The AGA has been meeting with new Congress members who will be in position in January to improve and expand the Gaming Caucus, according to Miller. The house has 60 new lawmakers, and 45 are from gaming states, meaning that they have already spoken about the significant role played by gaming in the states they serve.

Miller said there was some "important and significant movement" on relief for the sector when he looked back on 2020. It was historic when earlier this year, he added, the gaming industry was integrated into the (federal relief) Cares Act.

“The industry had been excluded after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, during the 2008 and 2009 financial collapse, and Superstorm Sandy,” MIller said. “The industry was included and treated the same as every other industry, and that was a historic first and important turning point in my opinion among how we are seen by government leaders. They recognize now the commitment we make in our communities, the jobs we create and taxes we pay. We are an important contributor to these communities, and we deserved the same relief as everybody else.”