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American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller aptly described Sandra Douglass Morgan as a ‘trailblazer’ during their discussion at G2E. He asked about her journey and what enabled her to become the first black female President of an NFL team – the Las Vegas Raiders.
Morgan said she has thrown herself into every position in her career, even if it has meant ruffling some feathers: “It wasn’t possible for me to have this position when I was growing up – even as recently as five-ten years ago. It’s been a whirlwind few months.”
She linked her head-on approach to breaking professional barriers, with how the NFL should face issues such as harassment regulations and cashless wagering.
Morgan is surprised not only at the elevation of her career within the gaming and sports industries but also at the elevation of Las Vegas from being “one-dimensional" to becoming a staple of entertainment and sports.
She commented: “Growing up here we never really had professional sports. As I child I remember wondering why certain acts wouldn’t come here, like why there wasn’t ever a Michael Jackson concert for instance.
“Thanks to a lot of the people in this room, we’ve been able to build a world-class stadium that families can enjoy whether it be watching NFL, soccer games or music events. When I was a kid you would go to a show at Circa and that was it. Now, there are so many more things to do.”
Discussing her previous role as Chair of the Nevada Gaming Board, Morgan was sympathetic to the NFL’s approach to sports betting. She commented: “I understand why the NFL’s position on sports betting is limited as it’s measured by the long-term success of the industry. They have to focus on integrity because if that is broken, it not only affects the league, it affects the operators too.
"With responsible gambling, it’s a balance – how much is too much? I’m aware of how thoroughly the licensees are vetted here. Those regulatory structures are still growing and being tested, it needs to be a balanced approach – we need to know that we can support legalized gaming, and not push customers into the illegal market.”
