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The American Gaming Association states that 49 percent of American adults have a favourable view of the casino gaming industry, as new research is published at the ongoing Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

Rising four per cent from the previous year, it is also states that the increase coincides with a surge in casino visitation and a widespread perception that the industry provides innovative, high-quality entertainment while supporting economic growth.

The new research showed that the number of America adults that frequented a casino in the last year jumped to 44 percent in 2019, up nine per cent from 2018. 

This a trend that also looks set to continue as almost half of all Americans, 49 per cent or 124m, state that they will visit a casino to gamble over the next 12 months, up from 41 per cent or 104m a year earlier.

Among other highlights of the new survey include two-in-three Americans (67 per cent) thinking that the gaming industry provides high-quality entertainment, and 63 per cent holding a belief that casino entertainment options are innovative.

Furthermore, almost half of Americans (49 per cent) state that casinos help the communities where they are located, 57 per cent believe that land-based establishment help local economies and 71 per cent are buoyed by the creation of an increased number of job opportunities. 

“The favourability of our industry has never been higher,” noted Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “As gaming expands across the US and more Americans engage with our industry’s offerings, they see firsthand gaming’s positive impact on local economies and its value as a community partner. 

“I’m committed to continuing the association’s work to translate gaming’s vast popularity into political capital, one of my top priorities for AGA.”

These results come at a time of unprecedented growth for the gaming industry, with gaming revenue for the industry across the US reaching an all-time high of $75.4bn last year.