President Donald Trump visited a popular Las Vegas casino last weekend, and industry insiders and experts are confident that this trip will be a net positive toward blanket casino legalization in the US.
Recently re-elected President Trump attended Circa Resort & Casino to speak on his campaign promise to end the country’s tax on tips, which would extend to the hospitality and gambling industries.
The American Gaming Association lauded the president for his visit to Circa Resort & Casino in a press release with Bill Miller, AGA president, and CEO, saying: “Today’s event is a testament to the president’s commitment to making sure that the tax code not only encourages job creation but also ensures workers keep more of their hard-earned money.”
President Trump started his speech by saying, “America’s decline is over,” before citing how he (and his cabinet) had begun reversing the policies put in place by the previous president, Joe Biden, who was in office from 2020 until 2024.
Trump reiterated his promises towards the gaming industry at the event: “Can you remember that little statement about tips?” Trump said, “I think we won Nevada because of that statement.”
The president’s strong backing of Nevada and promise to abolish taxation in the gaming and hospitality industry have led experts to believe that the sentiment will carry through with gambling in the United States on a broader scale.
For nearly a decade, Donald Trump has campaigned for a new casino in Miami, Florida. However, the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, could make this a challenge should the crackdown on ballot initiatives pass.
Donald Trump has owned and operated casinos in Atlantic City and New Jersey and has wanted to expand into Florida since 2015. So much so that it was a talking point during his first presidential run in 2016, with Jeb Bush (previous Florida governor) claiming the now-president tried to buy a gambling license through campaign donations, a claim which Trump vehemently denied.
With the second presidential reign of Donald Trump just beginning, the gambling industry has high hopes that the Oval Office will roll back (or at least soften) the federal restrictions placed on gaming, allowing states and private companies more freedom to innovate and establish new businesses. Considering the remarks about winning Nevada and the push towards lessening taxes in casinos, widespread support seems likely to come throughout the next four years.
