The American Gaming Association: Past, Present and Future

Click here to read the white paper – The American Gaming Association: Past, Present and Future As the tenure of Bill Miller begins at the AGA, BMM Testlabs is pleased to announce the launch of their new white paper, The American Gaming Association: Past, Present and Future, written by Robin Bernhard. What makes the AGA exceptional amongst many contemporary associations is that the playing field of gaming has changed so much over the last 120 years. From the late 1800’s when wagers were made in bars in New York City, almost every single aspect of gaming has evolved drastically: Rules and regulations Technology Popular perception and acceptance Where and how gaming takes place The following interviews provide insight and perspective from former CEOs, Frank Fahrenkopf, Geoff Freeman, current Interim CEO, Stacy Papadopoulos and incoming CEO of the AGA, Bill Miller on the gaming equation they faced (or are facing) coming into their roles as CEO of the AGA. With each, we explore a broad range of subjects including, the popular perception of gaming at the time they entered the industry, how they came to the industry, the regulatory and legislative environment at the time, as well as what they see in the future of the AGA. The intent here is to trace a line through 25 years of AGA leadership to explore how this organization has transformed gaming across the United States. Click here to read the white paper – The American Gaming Association: Past, Present and...

Click here to read the white paper: Sports Betting and the 1% ‘Integrity Fee’ Explained In case you haven’t been paying attention, the federal ban on sports betting as established by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) was struck down recently by the US Supreme Court. A lot of people incorrectly read between the lines and thought that this means INSTA-LEGALIZED SPORTS BETTING across the country. As I outlined in a previous piece, Sports betting and SCOTUS, what it all means and what’s next? this isn’t the case. This ruling merely puts the option and onus on states and tribal nations to allow or not allow sports betting. If allowed at the lawmaking level, these same entities then must create the rules and regulations related to those wagers. Some states were prepared to move forward quite quickly to get their sports betting to market (laws passed, and regulations set), others will take longer. There will inevitably be some states and/or tribal nations which elect not to allow sports betting at all or will only allow limited flavors of sports betting. In the conversations surrounding this decision, the professional sports leagues reaffirmed their general opposition to this ruling with the NFL even stating that they wanted Congress to intervene. In a statement, the NFL proclaimed: “Congress has long recognized the potential harms posed by sports betting to the integrity of sporting contests and the public confidence in these events.” Amongst all the noise and under the headlines, the NBA, PGA and Major League Baseball reiterated their support for what is being called an integrity fee that deserves more attention, discussion and thought by stakeholders in the industry and the general wagering public. The purpose of this paper is to shine a light on the proposed integrity fee. Specifically, I’ll talk about the concept as well as the origin of this idea, where integrity fees stand now and what questions vested interests might want to ask themselves. Click here to read the white paper: Sports Betting and the 1% ‘Integrity Fee’...

White paper: The Past and Future of the Slot Machine

Click here to read this white paper. If you went into a bar in the late 1800s in or around New York City, it might have been called, The Burnt Rag, Milligan’s Hell or even, Chick Tricker’s Flea Bag. You could have had a punch made of hot rum, whiskey, camphor, benzene and cocaine, and had a better than average chance of finding a gambling machine created by a New York based company called, Sittman and Pitt. The machine was basic but innovative for the time and allowed for a chance to win prizes like free cigars and drinks. The machine contained five drums carrying 50 cards, cost a nickel to play, and was based on the math and the concept of poker. Most establishments hosting one of these machines would literally discard two cards to tilt the odds in favor of the house, and none of these machines had a way to directly pay winners. The exact date is up for debate, but around this time an inventor named Charles Augustus Fey is credited with the next evolutionary step in slot machines – automatic payouts at the machine. He accomplished this by reducing the complexity of the five drums and 50 cards, to three reels and five symbols: spades, horseshoes, diamonds, hearts and the image of a liberty bell. This is what gave the machine the name Liberty Bell. By most accounts, these two developments were the opening chapters of the modern-day slot machine. Clearly, the story didn’t end there as there are few industries in which a single image is so iconic as the slot machine is to the casino industry. Click here to read this white...

Responsible Gaming: Context and Questions for the Industry

To the often-unrecognized credit of the gaming industry; operators, manufacturers, testing labs, regulators, associations and governing bodies continuously seek to refine and redefine the relationship they have with patrons for the better. Rules and standards are put in place, technology is developed, experiences are carefully created and curated to patrons both within the walls of casinos and now beyond, to the online space and even people’s phones. Why? It’s all about integrity, transparency and above anything else, the concept of trust. Responsible Gaming: Context and Questions for the...

Sports Betting and SCOTUS. What it all means and what’s next?

This week’s headlines heralded the end of the federal ban on sports betting as established by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). It’s certainly good news on the surface, but does it mean that you can bet on the game tonight? Hardly. First, let’s look closer at what was decided by the US Supreme Court. Contrary to what many took from the bold words across their newsfeeds, this was NOT a decision to allow sports betting across the country. Specifically, yesterday’s decision was the striking down of the 1992 act that made it unlawful from the federal government’s perspective. Still squinting to find out where and when you can bet on your local team? The answer is… it now depends. This ruling gives states the right to allow or not allow sports betting per their own rules and regulations but doesn’t make betting on sports any more legal than it was the day before. The implications for the industry? Gargantuan. One estimate from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC, a research firm focused on the gaming industry, puts the annual gambling revenue for legal sports betting is as high as 6 billion dollars in the US. In an interview on CNN, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins stated, “It will be a state by state rollout and there will be about a half dozen or so that will try to get in for this NFL season.” He went on to quote more figures that help frame the potential impact, “About 150 billion is estimated to be bet each year illegally on the US black market, mostly through offshore bookies and websites and mobile apps. So, the more states that legalize it, the more that will come over into the light.” In an industry conference call with the American Gaming Association, President and CEO Geoff Freeman framed the ruling and answered some interesting questions from listeners. Below are just a few highlights: New Jersey will try to move to legalize sports betting in weeks for the NBA finals. Mississippi, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York introduced sports betting legislation this year, more to follow with varied timetables. In the opinion of the AGA, this should be the fastest/largest spread of gaming ever. The AGA wants to help professional leagues become partners to the industry across speed to market, consistency and integrity. Does this impact territories? Puerto Rico? On page 30 of the decision the entire statute has been struck down… this SHOULD mean that it’s no longer in play in territories and commonwealths. How do you see this in CA/tribes/cardrooms/racetracks? It’s a complicated issue with tremendous upsides. The AGA is very involved helping find common ground and assisting stakeholders in realizing the amazing potential behind this decision. Stay tuned for more on this decision and reach out to BMM Testlabs, the world’s leader in sports book testing for impact and insight into your jurisdiction as well as to find out why 4 out of 5 U.S sports betting companies have chosen BMM to test their...

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The American Gaming Association: Past, Present and Future