As the USA hits a whopping 6 million cases of COVID-19 this week, the American Gaming Association is again urging the US Government to continue with their ongoing support. AGA president Bill Miller has stated that such support is needed to keep afloat during this world pandemic that will not go away so easily.
Miller outlined his plans for the gaming industry to continue to hopefully reopen across the country in a healthy and safe environment, yet he states that the industry is one of the hardest to keep afloat. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many industries, but such a regulated market as US gambling was hit the hardest, with additional federal support needed to keep the momentum going and eventually, only this will save the industry.
Wayback in March during the March outbreak, Miller stated that initial funding efforts that have derived from the CARES ACT have ensured that the gaming industry survives. He continued that the AGA fought tooth and nail to secure the funding that the scene was eligible for, whilst providing a stepping stone to stabilize the overall economy.
One of the highlights from Miller’s speech is that Congress seems to be scheduling more relief funding to the gambling niche. Miller stressed that after many months of delay, the US Congress has finally decided to support with more financial aid. Whilst the Senate Republicans has released the HEALS Act, the Democrats clapped back with the launch of the HEROES Acts that was launched in May. Hopefully, both acts will assist the gambling market in the US to keep a place in the economic market.
One of the main strategic goals of the HEALS act is to support many US gaming operators. This support will include liability protection for many businesses hit by COVID-19 claims. The other financial support will include tax relief schemes with employee retention tax credit being made available to businesses. Other measures will include in work tax credits, and also added funds for PPE and health and safety measures in the workplace. Other funding will also support work and business meals.
Other HEALS measures include the flexibility to be in control of how the relief is spent. Of course, this comes along with some boxes to tick and this includes a whopping 75% reimbursement for unemployment cost incurred by tribes. The CARES ACT only offers 50% for such measures.
According to best50casino.comThe AGA president stressed that the liability protection is crucial to be included in the HEALS ACT, with Senate Majority Leader and Kentucky politician Mitch McConnell supporting the cause. The AGA leader believes that relied measures will keep the industry going, and only such relief will continue to safeguard jobs and the gambling industry as a whole. The message that the AGA wants to deliver is that the agency will continue to fight hard to secure a future for the US gambling scene.
The AGA believes that this is the last milestone from the Congress camp to stabilize the economy. The US pandemic has hit home very hard, and as the numbers keep growing in terms of infected American people, stabilizing the country’s economy is a hard task. Whilst saving the industry and attempting to secure economic growth, the funds available will be split between companies that are mainly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The commercial and also the tribal gaming industry will both be included in such measures, prioritized by the AGA.
Miller explained that measures should and will include measures that tackle enhanced employee retention, various PPE tax credits, and other specific measures to boost the travel and tourism industry. Although Americans are not traveling much during this world pandemic, these measures will hopefully boost the economy and see the American people spend and travel more. Is this all wishful thinking, as the number of cases keeps growing in the US?
Whilst there is a massive divide and also lack of agreement between the HEALS and the HEROES Act, it is a paradigm that the two opposing parties sit down together and come up with a feasible plan to address the gaps and measures that are needed. Talks this week are set to address issues such as the extension of unemployment benefits, and also other government and local matters. There is a light at the end of the long tunnel, and this will hopefully be stabilized via a Bill that is set to be launched pretty soon.
Whatever the outcome is with regards to the future of Gambling in the US, we hope that Congress will support the US gambling scene. Republicans and Democrats should sit together at a round table and address issues and think about employment, jobs, and the entertainment industry with the American Dream being the center of decisions taken.
