THE AGENDA
BY ROGER GROS , PUBLISHER
25 and Counting
Vol . 23 • No . 9 • SEPTEMBER 2024
Roger Gros , Publisher | rgros @ ggbmagazine . com X : @ GlobalGamingBiz
Frank Legato , Editor | flegato @ ggbmagazine . com X : @ FranklySpeakn
Jess Marquez , Managing Editor jmarquez @ ggbmagazine . com
Monica Cooley , Art Director mcooley @ ggbmagazine . com
Frank Fahrenkopf once told me that the best thing he ever did during his long tenure as CEO of the American Gaming Association was to form the National Center for Responsible Gaming . Now called the International Center for Responsible Gaming , the organization was designed to encourage research into problem gambling .
Fahrenkopf was always fearful that a federal investigation would corner gaming executives the same way they cornered tobacco executives when Congress berated them for denying that their product was harmful . He wanted to be proactive in creating an organization that did “ blind ” research , meaning that gaming companies would contribute funding to the group but have no control over its results — kind of a “ let the chips fall where they may ” approach .
Now this was done well before the National Gambling Impact Study Commission ( NGISC ) launched the first federal investigation into gaming since the Kefauver Committee in the early 1950s . We are now celebrating the 25th anniversary of the final NGISC report , one which presented the first real study into problem gambling . It concluded that less than 2 percent of gamblers could be classified as “ compulsive ,” and that data has held up in other studies since that time .
The commission was serious , however . It was proposed by Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia , a virulently anti-gaming crusader , who envisioned a tobacco-style inquest against the gaming industry . But Fahrenkopf , the former head of the Republican Party during the Reagan years , and a man well respected on both sides of the aisle , was able to use his influence to balance the seats on the commission so the industry would get a fair hearing .
The board consisted of several members who might be considered anti-gaming . Kay Coles James was the chairwoman , and had been active in religious institutions and could have been considered anti-gaming . James Dobson was the head of Focus on the Family , a nonprofit religious group , and was definitely in the anti-gaming camp , which also included Paul Moore , a Mississippi doctor , Richard Leone , a former head of the NY-NJ Port Authority , and Leo McCarthy , a former politician from California .
Fahrenkopf was able to nominate then MGM- Mirage Chairman Terrence Lanni , former Nevada regulator Bill Bible and the president of UNITE-HERE , the chief hospitality union in the gaming industry , John Wilhelm . Also included was Robert Loescher , a Native American from an Alaskan tribe . The combination of these individuals more than balanced out any kind of anti-gaming sentiment .
The NGISC was empaneled for a two-year period , 1997-99 . It held hearings in every part of the country including Las Vegas , Atlantic City , Chicago , Boston and elsewhere . There was a very determined research staff looking into issues that were never examined before . Especially strong was the tribal gaming component , which presented evidence about the massive positive impact gaming had on tribal nations .
As I tagged along across the country attending all of the hearings , I witnessed a rather amazing sight . The cooperation and dedication of the participants in the study was clearly designed to actually get a fair reading of how gaming was impacting the nation at that time . And it wasn ’ t just limited to casinos . They studied horse racing , lotteries , bingo , illegal gambling and , of course , the negative impacts of gaming as it pertained to people with a gambling problem .
I came to respect all the members of the commission . Terry Lanni was so eloquent in his defense of the industry . John Wilhelm , though he often clashed with gaming executives when negotiating union contracts , sang the praises of the impact the industry has had on his members . Bill Bible calmly explained how regulations were able to keep the industry on the straight and narrow . But even the supposedly anti-gaming people were cordial and respectful of witnesses who testified about what gaming meant to their lives . Kay James turned out to be the star of the show , however . Her control over the process was both demanding and respectful , and her stamp is all over the final report .
And it ’ s well worth it to review the final report , because much of what the industry is built on today was outlined in this version . Check it out for yourself ! www . federalregister . gov / agencies / national-gamblingimpact-study-commission .
But there are now rumblings that we need another federal study on gaming with the advent and growth of legal sports betting and online gaming . If that comes to pass , let ’ s hope we have someone as diplomatic and skillful as Frank Fahrenkopf , or the circumstances could be dire for the entire gaming industry .
Terri Brady , Sales & Marketing Director tbrady @ ggbmagazine . com
Beck Kingman-Gros , Associate Publisher & COO bkingros @ ggbmagazine . com
Lisa Johnson , Communications Advisor lisa @ lisajohnsoncommunications . com X : @ LisaJohnsonPR
Columnists Maureen Beddis | Julia Carcamo Frank Fantini | Adrian Jooste
Contributing Editors Jill R . Dorson | Alex Goldstein | Robin Harrison Marjorie Preston | Cole Rush Bill Sokolic X : @ downbeachfilm | Michael Vanaskie ______________
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Rino Armeni , President , Armeni Enterprises
• Dike Bacon , Principal / Partner , HBG Design
• Lauren Bates , President , Global Gaming Women
• Mark A . Birtha , Senior Vice President & General Manager , Hard Rock International
• Brendan Bussmann , Principal , BGlobal Advisors
• Alex Dixon , CEO , DRA / Q Casino
• Daron Dorsey , Executive Director , Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers
• Sally Gainsbury , Director at Gambling Treatment & Research Clinic & Professor of Psychology , University of Sydney
• Stephen Martino , Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer , MGM Resorts International
• Bill Miller , President and CEO , American Gaming Association
• Walt Power , CEO , Grand Ho Tram
• Rob Russell , Senior Gaming Analyst , Regulatory Management Counselors PC
• James Siva , Chairman , California Nations Indian Gaming Association / Vice Chairman , Morongo Band of Mission Indians
• Michael Soll , President , The Innovation Group
• Kresimir Spajic , Chief Executive Officer , Betfred Sportsbook
• Katherine Spilde , Executive Director , Sycuan Gaming Institute , San Diego State University —————— GGB Magazine 1000 Nevada Way • Suite 204 • Boulder City , NV 89005 702-248-1565 • 702-248-1567 ( fax ) www . ggbmagazine . com
The views and opinions expressed by the writers and columnists of GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS are not necessarily the views of the publisher or editor .
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GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS is published monthly by Clarion Gaming International , LLC . Printed in Nevada , USA . Postmaster : Send Change of Address forms to : 1000 Nevada Way , Suite 204 , Boulder City , NV 89005 Email : subscriptions @ ggbmagazine . com
Official Publication
4 Global Gaming Business SEPTEMBER 2024