NCLGS Summer Meeting sets legislator attendance record for the third edition in a row

A Summer Meeting-record number of legislators will be in attendance when the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States convenes July 12-14 in Minneapolis. NCLGS will welcome 38 legislators – and counting – during its three-day conference at the Radisson Blu Downtown.

"While the gaming industry holds numerous conferences each year, the NCLGS meetings are the only ones where the key legislative decision-makers meet to discuss the critical public policy matters," said NCLGS President William P. Coley II, a Senator from Ohio. "Gaming issues are of growing importance in every statehouse. That's why we are setting legislator attendance records for the third meeting in a row. Legislators know that they can learn from each other and they can count on their fellow decision-makers to provide them with the unfiltered information they need."

The Summer Meeting has been approved for 10.0 Continuing Legal Education credits by the Nevada bar, underscoring its importance as a premier gaming policy forum. The event is again co-locating with the GLI University Mid-Year Regulators Seminar on July 11.

The three-day NCLGS Summer Meeting agenda includes: Six legislative committee sessions, addressing casinos, emerging forms of gaming, Indian Gaming, lotteries, Responsible Gaming, and state-federal relations; Keynote Luncheon Address: "The Next Five Years of Gaming," by Timothy Wilmott, CEO, Penn National Gaming, and Chairman, American Gaming Association; two IMGL Masterclass panels conducted by the International Masters of Gaming Law focusing on state lottery technology and the multiple crossover regulatory and legal issues.

Furthermore, a special general session panel examining gaming's evolution toward entertainment will be held, a Thursday evening cocktail reception, a Friday evening welcome reception, and a Saturday afternoon tour of Sportradar offices.

The economic, social and policy impacts of tribal gaming will be the focus of a committee session. The NCLGS Committee on Indian Gaming, chaired by Florida Senator Perry Thurston, will hear from the following experts: Shelley Buck, President, Prairie Island Indian Community; Jonodev Chauhuri, Partner and Chair Indian Law and Policy Group, Quarles & Brady LLP, and former Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission; and Tom Foley, Partner, Foley Quigley PLC.

"Although we are at an impasse in our relationship with the tribes in Florida, we know that the tribal casinos throughout the country have a huge impact on the surrounding communities. They have provided jobs outside of the tribes, generated outside tourism dollars, and given back to their communities," Senator Thurston said. "Policymakers need to understand the total impacts of tribal gaming when crafting not just gaming policy but other policies such as economic development, education and human services."

NCLGS is the only organization of state lawmakers that meets on a regular basis to discuss issues relating to gaming. Members of NCLGS serve as chairpersons or members of state legislative committees responsible for the regulation of gaming in their state legislative houses. NCLGS does not promote or oppose gaming but is primarily concerned with the regulation and economic and social impacts of the industry. The NCLGS Foundation is the educational and research arm of NCLGS. The 501(c)(3) non-profit is a source of non-partisan data on issues of gaming legislation and regulation.

Spectrum Gaming Group, which has performed advisory and consulting work for gaming operators, regulators and legislatures in 39 US states and territories and in 47 countries on six continents, serves as Executive Director of NCLGS.