As part of the AGA’s “Get to Know Gaming” campaign, which will aggressively promote the value of the industry, today we released a seminal report outlining the quality, range and skills associated with the more than 200 types of careers at hundreds of casinos across 40 states. Beyond the research, we have launched a video series that highlights real-life stories of gaming employees, and announced an upcoming multiyear national initiative to ensure presidential candidates understand gaming’s significance in strengthening the middle class. Please visit www.FacesofGaming.org to learn how you may support the AGA’s effort to aggressively shape the image of the gaming industry across the U.S.
Gaming Careers: Gateway to Middle Class
Oxford Economics’ report, “Gaming Careers: Gateway to the Middle Class,” reveals that gaming:
- Creates Jobs and Opportunities:
Gaming offers a vast array of career paths for a diverse segment of the U.S. workforce. According to projections, the industry is on track to add more than 62,000 well-paying jobs in the next decade. Additionally, few industries employ as diverse a workforce as gaming. Forty-five percent of gaming’s workforce is comprised of minorities and nearly half (48%) are women – both far higher than the national average. - Promotes Educational Growth: In addition to the industry’s many programs providing benefits such as tuition reimbursement and citizenship assistance, companies also encourage flexibility to allow employees to pursue ongoing education. An industry-wide commitment to employee development creates a culture of upward mobility while also providing the security and stability of well-paying jobs.
- Builds the Middle Class: Gaming provides hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs to workers from diverse backgrounds with wide-ranging levels of job experience and areas of expertise. With salaries comparable to – or above – the national average and companies dedicated to growing employee talents and responsibilities, the gaming industry serves as a gateway to the middle class. For many U.S. workers, gaming offers an opportunity to earn above the U.S. average annual salary.
In conjunction with this report, we launched a “Faces of Gaming” video series that includes first-hand testimonials from employees about their experiences in the gaming industry. These videos will be featured on our website and will air nationwide to target policymakers and other industry stakeholders as part of our goal to aggressively shape the image of the gaming industry. We encourage anyone whose job is supported by gaming to share your story.
2016 Election: Gaming Votes
As part of this launch, we are also planning a multiyear national initiative called, “Gaming Votes,” which incorporates in-district events highlighting the gaming industry’s workforce to ensure that as the 2016 election season ramps up, political candidates understand gaming’s vital role in providing middle-class jobs and driving economic growth in key states across the country.
Until “Gaming Votes” hits the road, we encourage you to:
- Distribute the Gaming Career’s report to policymakers in your communities;
- Take to social media and promote these impactful employment study’s key finding with AGA’s tweet sheet; and
- Share your story about how gaming has impacted your life.
Oxford’s report affirms that gaming empowers its employees to pursue higher education, move up the career ladder and build a better life for themselves and their families. We look forward to rallying the industry to showcase first-hand the jobs that gaming supports in key political states across the country in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Geoff Freeman
President & CEO
