Survey: Casino industry favorability 'has never been higher'

LAS VEGAS — A record 49 percent of American adults have a favorable view of the casino gaming industry, up four percentage points from 2018, according to new research from the American Gaming Association.

The research was unveiled Oct. 15 at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, the premier gathering of the global gaming industry, presented by the AGA and organized by Reed Exhibitions.

According to a news release from the AGA that promotes results from the American Attitudes on Casino Gaming 2019 survey, "the increase in favorability coincides with a surge in casino visitation and a widespread perception that the industry provides innovative, high-quality entertainment while supporting economic growth."

According to AGA, The Mellman Group, a research and data company, conducted the between Sept. 13-19, among a national sample of 1,000 registered American voters. Interviews were conducted online and via phone, and results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

According to the survey, the share of adults that visited a casino in the last year jumped to 44 percent in 2019, up 9 percentage points from 2018.

Further, almost half of all Americans surveyed (49%) say they will visit a casino to gamble over the next 12 months, up from 41 percent in 2018.

“The favorability of our industry has never been higher,” Bill Miller, president and CEO of the AGA, said in a statement. “As gaming expands across the U.S. and more Americans engage with our industry's offerings, they see firsthand gaming's positive impact on local economies and its value as a community partner.

"I'm committed to continuing the association's work to translate gaming's vast popularity into political capital, one of my top priorities for AGA.”

Other highlights from the survey include:

• 49% say casinos help the communities where they are located, while majorities say casinos specifically help local economies (57%) and create jobs (71%).
• 67% think the gaming industry provides high-quality entertainment and 63% believe casino entertainment options are innovative.

The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group representing the $261 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.8 million jobs nationwide.