American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman said Tuesday that it was an encouraging sign for his industry that talk about Donald Trump's casino-related past as he ran for the presidency was based simply on the four bankruptcy filings by Trump's casinos in New Jersey.
"The fact of owning a casino was never an issue," Freeman said in a national conference call. "It was just how well his casinos were run. That really does demonstrate that we are in a new era for the casino industry, where it undoubtedly is mainstream and casino jobs are every bit as patriotic as building airplanes or automobiles or any other proud American industry. We expect to be taken seriously for years to come."
Freeman also said he is optimistic about the chances for legalization of sports betting, which New Jersey has pursued for the past five years. Governor Christie and Monmouth Park officials have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case for sports betting, and a decision could be announced by the end of January.
"Donald Trump has expressed his views on that, and he appears to agree that the current law has failed," Freeman said. He was referring to Trump's comments on a sports talk radio show in which he said of legalized sports gambling, "I'm OK with it, because it's happening anyway."
In 1993, Trump - then an Atlantic City casino owner - was among those who advocated for the state to legalize sports betting by exercising its unique one-year window to do so, contained in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, or PASPA. That federal law outlawed sports betting in all but four states, but offered New Jersey a chance to join in because at the time it was the only state besides Nevada that had casinos."We have to get this," Trump said then. "It's vital to keeping your taxes low, it's vital to senior citizens, and it's vital to putting bookies out of business."
"Donald Trump has expressed his views on that, and he appears to agree that the current law has failed," Freeman said. He was referring to Trump's comments on a sports talk radio show in which he said of legalized sports gambling, "I'm OK with it, because it's happening anyway."
In 1993, Trump - then an Atlantic City casino owner - was among those who advocated for the state to legalize sports betting by exercising its unique one-year window to do so, contained in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, or PASPA. That federal law outlawed sports betting in all but four states, but offered New Jersey a chance to join in because at the time it was the only state besides Nevada that had casinos."We have to get this," Trump said then. "It's vital to keeping your taxes low, it's vital to senior citizens, and it's vital to putting bookies out of business."
Freeman said he would like to work "hand in hand" with pro sports leagues and law enforcement in legalizing sports betting. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has come out in support of legalization, the NHL has approved an expansion team in Las Vegas, and the Oakland Raiders of the NFL are in serious discussions about a possible move to the same city.
But any support from sports executives has been for federal regulation, as opposed to New Jersey's effort to merely add it at Atlantic City casinos and at the racetracks in the state.
"We have said we expect a replacement for PASPA to be on the desk of the next president, and we are even more confident today," Freeman said.
"We have said we expect a replacement for PASPA to be on the desk of the next president, and we are even more confident today," Freeman said.
The popularity of daily fantasy sports - in which entrants risk money on the performance of selected players rather than on the result of a game - has been a "gift" to legalized sports betting, Freeman said, because of the pro sports league partnerships with fantasy sports.
Online casino gaming - legal in New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada - is an issue in which industry officials are "trying to find common ground," Freeman said, so that the at-home gambling doesn't harm traditional brick-and-mortar casinos.
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