CEO speaks at attorney general association conference

Speaking before the nation's top law enforcement officers Monday, American Gaming Association CEO Geoff Freeman proposed they work with his group to crack down on illegal gambling.

Freeman's made his remarks during a National Association of Attorneys General conference in Biloxi, Miss. He noted AGA has launched its own campaign targeting on four key areas of illegal gambling: illegal sports betting, black-market machines, Internet sweepstakes cafes and illegal online betting.

"Our industry is committed to working with law enforcement to expose illegal gambling, protect consumers and restore the revenue and jobs lost to shady, predatory operators," Freeman said

AGA is seeking to distance the legal gaming industry from its illegal counterpart. The group said that legal gambling supports 1.7 million jobs and generates $38 billion in taxes across 40 states.

In a statement, Mississippi State Attorney General and NAAG President Jim Hood said he is exploring the establishment of a committee to address illegal gambling.

"There is clearly a stark difference between the legal regulated gaming market and illegal bad actors that prey on consumers," he said.

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