"Our industry is on a steady path to recovery as over 60% of America’s casinos have reopened"

American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller released a letter to the gaming industry on Friday, underlining that "the industry is on a steady path to recovery as more than 60 percent of America's casinos have reopened, with many reporting higher-than-anticipated demand." 

“It was certainly a highlight for me to see the doors open in Las Vegas, the heartbeat of American gaming, last week,” he added.

Miller said the current economic situation was hard to imagine before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, as US commercial gaming revenue was up 10.6 percent in January and February 2020 over the same period in 2019.

Earlier this month, AGA issued its State of the States 2020 report, which shows the commercial casino gaming industry revenue topped $43.6 billion in 2019, up 3.7 percent from the previous year, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth for gaming. 

“The successes detailed in this year’s report are in stark contrast to where we are today. But it is also a great reminder of the significant role gaming plays in shoring up local and state economies and supporting the jobs and careers of nearly two million Americans. As mandated closures continue to let up, gaming will be pivotal to a quick and sustained recovery for our communities, our employees, and our customers,” Miller concluded in the letter.