A new report released by the American Gaming Association (AGA) shows that the gaming industry exceeds current diversity standards in the US. The AGA compiled data from a total of 26 member organizations to create the study, comprising eight manufacturers, 18 commercial and tribal operators.
Employees who agreed to participate were invited to complete a form that requested data on their ethnicity, gender and professional classification. The study found that 61% of all employees in the US gaming industry were minorities, which compares favorably to the average of 42% for the general workforce.
In the games industry, 23% of employees were Hispanic and 19% were African American, while 45% of employees at game makers were minorities. The percentage of minorities in the operator sector increased 20% compared to 2011, totaling 60%.
Bill Miller, President and CEO of the AGA, said: “Consumers, policymakers and investors are raising their expectations for all companies about how they contribute to society beyond the bottom line.”
“Spanning data from the commercial, tribal and manufacturing gaming sectors, the survey highlights our industry’s leadership in diversity, while highlighting areas for continued progress.”
The report also found that 45% of first and middle managers were minorities and 43% were professionals. This ranks the gaming industry 10 points higher than hospitality players by 12 points. However, while the game’s workforce is 48% female, that figure dwindles in senior management roles.
Milled added, “As today’s report shows, our industry has taken important steps to become more diverse, but there is more work to do. The AGA will use this survey to engage our members on how we can collectively move forward in the gaming industry in the coming months and years.”
About the American Gaming Association
As a national trade group representing the US casino industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) promotes a policy and business environment where legal and regulated gaming thrives.
The AGA’s diverse members of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting and iGaming companies, gaming providers and others lead the $261 billion industry and support 1.8 million jobs across the country.
