In recent days, PocketFives sat down with American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Geoff Freeman (pictured), who assumed his role with the organization in the beginning of July. The AGA has been in the news in recent months with its opposition to PokerStars’ now abandoned takeover of the Atlantic Club Casinoin New Jersey and held a July fly-in with casino executives to campaign for online poker legislation in the United States.

PocketFives: Thank you for joining us. Tell us about the logic for the AGA’s motion opposing PokerStars’ purchase of the Atlantic Club, a deal that is now off the table.

Geoff Freeman: I took over this role on July 1, so the decision about PokerStars was made long before I arrived, but it’s clear that the Board and the industry in general have very strong feelings about companies that stayed in the market after the UIGEA was passed in 2006.

PokerStars continued to gain an advantage and continued to draw tens of millions of dollars out of the U.S. market after 2006 and used that money to strengthen their business. As such, they were using American dollars to get a competitive advantage. As in just about every business, it’s our feeling that companies like that should not be allowed to participate in the market. That’s a consistent position we’ve had.

PocketFives: What are the AGA’s views on PokerStars teaming with Resorts in New Jersey, a partnership that came to light shortly after July 4?

Geoff Freeman: Our position has remained the same: bad actors that flouted U.S. law should not be allowed to participate.

PocketFives: What is the AGA’s stance on Joe Barton’s online poker billcirculating on Capitol Hill?

Geoff Freeman: We haven’t endorsed the Barton (pictured) bill or the King bill. Both have interesting elements to them. I found the aspect of the Barton bill that only allows people to play with debit cards to be interesting, and it would speak to certain concerns we’ve heard in discussions with others. Many conversations are taking place on the Hill. I’m not sure if either of those bills will be the vehicle that’s ultimately pursued, but they both have aspects of what a great piece of legislation would have.

There is great interest out there in doing a Federal poker-only solution. There are lots of people who believe that’s good Federal policy. There’s equally as much interest in restoring the Wire Act and banning all online gaming. That’s the environment we find ourselves in. Overall, there is no way all online gaming is going to happen at a Federal level right now. We’re in environment where it’s poker-only or ban everything.

PocketFives: Does the AGA support the component of Barton’s bill that does not permit credit cards for deposits?

Geoff Freeman: That was an interesting aspect of the bill. As you look at the arguments that the critics of online gaming make, they are about children, people gambling beyond their means, and the risks associated with online gaming. Debit cards mean you can only play with the dollars in your account. You’re not taking on any credit risk.

PocketFives: Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson (pictured) has come out strongly against internet gambling. Has the AGA talked with him?

Geoff Freeman: I have discussed his views with him and I respect his views. Where I think he makes good points is that this industry has invested tens of billions of dollars here in the U.S. building casinos. It is paying extravagant amounts in taxes. It’s providing nearly a million jobs. How do you balance all of that? Everyone realizes the internet is here to stay and younger people prefer to be online, so we have to figure out how to navigate this environment so as not to place tens of billions of dollars and a million jobs at risk.

PocketFives: The AGA recently held a fly-in on Capitol Hill featuring casino leaders from around the United States. What were your takeaways from that event?

Geoff Freeman: The gaming industry has gone mainstream. Whereas this used to be an industry in Las Vegas and Atlantic City and an industry people had critical opinions of, today it has largely gone mainstream. We spent the day meeting with a variety of lawmakers. It shows that this industry now has the relationships and respect needed to open doors and have conversations about broad business issues as well.

PocketFives: Why did the AGA lobby against games of chance on Capitol Hill and pursue a poker-only policy?

Geoff Freeman: In my brief time at the AGA, I have not talked to anyone on Capitol Hill who wants all casino games, which gives you a sense of the appetite on Capitol Hill for that outcome. They also feel that if you can’t get your industry aligned behind a single point of view, then you give elected officials every reason to avoid it. We have extraordinary champions like Harry Reid, but if our industry isn’t on the same page, it’s difficult for Reid and others to do what we want them to do.

Visit the AGA’s website for more details on the casino lobbying organization.

Want the latest poker headlines and interviews? Follow PocketFives on Twitterand Like PocketFives on Facebook. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed.