The American Gaming Association (AGA) trade group has announced that the twelve casinos and racinos in the state of Pennsylvania collectively support in excess of 33,000 jobs alongside some $1.8 billion in aggregated wages.

Public proceeds:

The members-based organization used a Wednesday press release to additionally detail that the eastern state’s gaming industry has contributed approximately $2.5 billion in taxes and generated around $6.3 billion in local economic benefits since 2004.

Keystone congress:

The AGA stated that these figures, which were officially released yesterday as part of its Get To Know Gaming conference at The Meadows Racetrack Casino Hotel, highlight the ‘benefits of gaming to the Pennsylvania economy’ and show that ‘The Keystone State’ has been ‘reaping social [and] economic benefits’ from casino gaming.

Definitive gains:

Bill Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer for the AGA, took part in a special roundtable discussion at Wednesday’s event and used the subsequent press release to declare that his group’s Get To Know Gaming campaign regularly invites ‘input from stakeholders including local business owners, industry employees and elected officials’ in order to highlight the ‘positive impact’ the sector plays in communities across the United States. He proclaimed that the exercise moreover engages ‘local leaders in a discussion about the critical role’ the industry fills ‘as a community partner across the country.’

Miller’s statement read…

“Over the last 15 years, gaming companies across Pennsylvania have served as an anchor for state and local economies, generating billions of dollars in tax revenues and operating as good stewards and community partners in the places casinos call home. Today, we’re pleased to highlight the success of gaming in western Pennsylvania, discussing the career opportunities that have been enabled, the small businesses that have been supported and the communities that have been positively impacted.”

Representative resonance:

Miller’s praise of Pennsylvania’s gaming industry was later echoed at the Washington County event by the region’s member of the United States House of Representatives, Guy Reschenthaler. The 36-year-old Republican described the sector as containing ‘outstanding and community-minded industry partners’ before proclaiming that his state was ‘very fortunate’ to be able to work with such firms to ‘strengthen our economy and continue to expand job opportunities.’

Reschenthaler’s statement read…

“Across our state, gaming companies are investing in the growth of our communities and supporting good jobs.”