New American Gaming Association chief confirmed

Frank Fahrenkopf’s replacement as head of the American Gaming Association, former US Travel Association exec Geoff Freeman, has been confirmed in his appointment by the board.

Fahrenkopf has agreed to act as a consultant until the end of the year to assist in Freeman taking over his responsibilities at the trade association, which numbers most of Nevada’s major land gambling groups among its members.

Freeman said that he would focus on building on the many successes of the AGA, and would use his travel industry experience to strengthen links with other bodies.

AGA chairman Richard Hadrill commented that Freeman has an understanding of the gambling industry, and described him as “a thoughtful and energetic leader…[with] a deep public policy background and extensive network of relationships in Washington.”

Hadrill opined that the new CEO has the necessary skills to build coalitions and execute campaigns.

How Freeman plans to handle the growing trend of state-by-state online gambling legalisation – the Association has traditionally favoured a federal approach embracing only online poker – is not yet clear.

He also takes command as a controversial and unprecedented AGA attempt unfolds to intervene in New Jersey regulatory affairs in the matter of the Rational Group’s application to acquire the Atlantic Club land casino in Atlantic City .

That is being viewed in many quarters as a none-too-subtle attempt to stifle competition in the emerging New Jersey online gambling market, where only Atlantic City operators and partners will be allowed to operate.

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