More than 40 AGA member professionals from government affairs, communications, public affairs and compliance joined us in Washington yesterday for an effective and productive Government Affairs Fly-In event. This effort aligns with the AGA’s Strategic Plan, particularly the priority to connect and inform a broader spectrum of gaming professionals.

Our program agenda included:

• Deeper understanding of opportunities for engagement on the AGA’s newly launched Get to Know Gaming campaign to promote the value of gaming, which included a preview of soon-to-be-released research to show that casino visitors represent a portrait of America;
• An overview from Congressional staff on the state of play in Washington with a focus on legislation of interest to our industry – such as immigration, tax reform, travel and tourism promotion, terrorism risk insurance, among others;
• Expert insight from the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics founder and director Dr. Larry Sabato, who discussed how the political landscape is shifting and gave an election overview; and
• Increased awareness on federal regulatory compliance with Anti-Money Laundering laws, and opportunities for engagement with FinCEN, the oversight agency.

The Government Affairs Fly-In event was as much an opportunity to share information and discuss issues facing the gaming industry, as it was a forum for professionals to network and to connect with each other. In the future, we hope to offer and provide more opportunities to coalesce the industry around issues of common interest. If you’re interested in joining future programs and events like the fly-in, please let us know.