The gaming industry is a driving force in the
U.S. economy, creating more than 1 million jobs nationwide.
In its 1999 final report, the National Gambling Impact Study
Commission acknowledged the economic benefits provided by casinos
in communities nationwide: Legalized gambling has unquestionably
had certain positive economic effects in some of the communities
in which it has been introduced. Hundreds of employees in several
cities enthusiastically described to the Commission the new
and better jobs they had obtained with the advent of casinos.
The following are some statistics concerning employment in
the commercial casino segment of the gaming industry:
Commercial casinos provide direct employment for nearly 370,000
people and generate an additional 450,000 jobs in related
businesses.
During the past decade, the casino work force has increased
more than 79 percent, from 198,657 employees in 1990 to 356,312
in 2000.
From 1999 to 2000, more than 13,000 new jobs were created
in the commercial casino industry.
Casino employees earned more than $10.9 billion in wages (including
tips and benefits) in 2000, nearly $1 billion more than the
previous year.
According to a 1996 economic impact study by Andersen, gaming
industry employees earn higher average salaries than their
counterparts in the motion picture industry, other amusement
and recreation sectors, and the hotel/motel industry.
Gaming industry employment has brought significant benefits
to employees beyond wages, including health insurance, job
skills and training, and access to day care, according to
the 1997 Gaming Industry Employee Impact Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The same survey found that gaming industry employment also
benefited local economies by lowering public assistance payouts,
increasing sales of homes, cars and major appliances, and
increasing charitable giving and volunteerism.
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