Delegates at the World GES in Barcelona, Spain, have been told that the industry does not have “a coherent narrative” in the US.
Joe Brennan Jnr, chairman of iMEGA – the not-for-profit gaming association based in Washington DC - said the industry is unwilling, or unable, to craft its own narrative as to why state or federal government in the US should legalise online gaming. “For whatever reason, this industry has declined to get involved.
“The earlier panel [of online gambling operator CEOs] was quick to share its hopes and dreams but the majority of the industry is not prepared to do the heavy lifting required to move the US industry forward.”
Jon Porter, retired US Congressman and now CEO at Porter Gordon Silver Communications, concurred. “When you go to New Jersey and there are five different pitches from the online community, all saying the same thing, the state just says ‘go home, sort yourselves out.’
“You can’t just wait for someone else to do it – when you come to the States, meet with legislators and policymakers – be part of the process,” said Porter. “The industry is shooting itself in the head.”
Brennan continued: “This industry does not have a coherent narrative. Legislators are bombarded by 100 issues a day that they’re expected to be experts on. State legislators are facing huge time demands and [the i-gaming lobby] has to respect that, so you have to go to them and speak directly.
“The narrative should be ‘this how we contribute to the success of the existing land-based gaming industry, this is how we create jobs and improve your district and, by the way, here’s the supporting data.’
“As an industry, you haven’t done it yet,” added Brennan. “You don’t respect the process. Going to [Washington] DC, to the Capitol - that’s sexy - but when you think about going out into the individual states, well, just where the hell is Trenton, New Jersey?
“I’ve watched the Sopranos, these people are scary right? But the fact is, people in this room have been rushing around trying to do deals with the casinos in Atlantic City.
“But you can't find partners because you don’t have any friends there, in government. You’re just an adjunct, not part of the process.”
