Page 10 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Winter, 2023

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WASLOSKI: Creativity and
innovation: The gaming industry is constantly evolving, and there are
many opportunities for individuals to
be creative and innovative in their
work. Whether it’s developing new casino games, creating new gaming layouts, restaurant layouts, or designing engaging user experiences, there is always room for new ideas and fresh perspectives.
A dynamic and fast-paced environment: The gaming industry
is known for its fast pace and ever- changing landscape. For individuals who enjoy working in a dynamic environment, the gaming industry can offer a challenging and exciting career.
BEEDING: In a word, the gaming industry offers “opportunity.” It is an industry that values experience and the knowledge gained from experience almost more than any other attribute. Team members can start in a front- line position — or in a supervisory
or managerial position — and take advantage of internal opportunities for advancement in the same or different areas within the industry or use tuition reimbursement programs to obtain
or complete an advanced degree or apply for one of the many internship or management training programs available with gaming companies. Everywhere
you look is opportunity, the tools are abundant, one only needs to believe that
Beeding, Bankston, Morris and Wasloski with the Mississippi River flowing behind them.
the next step is within reach and use the tools to move upward.
BANKSTON: Promoting from within allows casinos to maintain institutional knowledge and pass it along to new members of the casino’s team. This allows team members to envision a path of growth even in an area different from the one they started the industry in. For someone who wants to find the opportunity for a career, gaming is a great place to start.
MGN: What can other industries learn from the gaming industry when it comes to offering opportunities for all?
BEEDING: The casino industry has long been heralded for its ability to
reinvent itself over and over, but that shouldn’t be limited to reinvention to maintain guest engagement. As leaders from diverse backgrounds, genders and races, we can help develop a culture of reinvention that focuses on empowering diverse populations and building a culture of acceptance and inclusion.
WASLOSKI: The opportunity to make a positive impact and use your own creativity: Everyone has the power
to inspire, entertain, and educate people. Opportunities for growth and development: The gaming industry
is a growing industry, and there are many opportunities for individuals to grow and develop their skills. This can include opportunities for professional development, as well as opportunities for advancement within a company.
BANKSTON: For any business to succeed, its team needs to understand the mission, their place in it, and
what needs to be done to execute
that mission. This is a strength of the gaming industry. If other industries embraced gaming’s propensity for identifying potential bench strength and implemented inclusion and training in customer service as well as procedures, they would certainly benefit. While some other industries certainly do these things, it seems more prevalent in the casino industry.
MORRIS: Other industries can learn from the gaming industry’s successes
AGA reports on diversity of gaming industry workforce
WASHINGTON, D.C.
— The American Gaming Association (AGA) released in April research providing an in-depth examination
of diversity in the gaming industry workforce.
“Consumers, policymakers and investors are raising their expectations for all businesses on how they contribute to society beyond the bottom line,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Encompassing data from across commercial, tribal and manufacturing gaming verticals, the survey both highlights our industry’s leadership on diversity
while presenting areas for continued progress.”
The study’s findings
show tangible results
of the industry’s broad reach and commitment
to representing local communities. More than
6 in 10 of gaming industry employees are minorities, compared to 52% of the broader hospitality industry and 42% of the total U.S. workforce, and 60% of operator employees are minorities, up nearly 20% from 2011 and higher than the hospitality sector and national workforces overall.
Gaming’s leadership
pipeline is also significantly more diverse than national averages at the first/ mid-level manager and professional levels: 45% of first/mid-level managers are minorities while 43% of professionals are minorities, both 10 to 12 points above national and hospitality benchmarks.
Gender diversity presents an opportunity for the industry. Gaming’s workforce is 48% female, in line with the national workforce, but representation drops off
at more senior level job classifications.
“As [the] report shows,
our industry has made impactful strides toward becoming more diverse, but there is more work to do,” added Miller. “The AGA will use this research to engage our membership on how we can collectively advance DEI in gaming in the months and years to come.”
The benchmarking
report comes a year after the AGA identified core pillars of ESG in gaming: advancing sustainability, strengthening DEI, investing in communities and leading responsibly.
For news from the AGA, visit americangaming.org.
10 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS SUMMER 2023