AGA Honors Three New Industry Leaders in Hall of Fame Class

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced its Gaming Hall of Fame Class of 2022 honoring important figures in the gaming industry. This year, it was Michael Rumbolz, Gavin Isaacs, and Virginia McDowell’s turn to have their merits and contributions in the industry recognized and praised.

The Trio to Receive Recognition at the Global Gaming Expo in Vegas 

Isaacs, McDowell, and Rumbolz will be honored during an induction ceremony that will be held at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas in October. The ceremony will be an invitation-only type of event. AGA’s chairman of the board, Hard Rock International chairman, and Seminole Gaming chief executive officer Jim Allen explained the Gaming Hall of Fame is made of “individuals that have pushed the industry forward through innovation, leadership, and excellence”.

He added that this year’s inductees are also “well-deserving additions” to the Hall of Fame’s prestigious ranks. The Hall of Fame was created in 1989 with the purpose of recognizing pioneers, legends, and leaders in the gaming industry. It continues to be used as a means of celebrating all honorees’ powerful impact on the industry. 

All Hall of Fame Class honorees are picked by gaming executives that are part of an independent panel. In 2022, the panel featured Seminole gaming’s chiefs executive officer and Hard Rock International’s chairman Jim Allen, CDC Gaming Report’s business manager Jeffrey Compton, the International Association of Gaming’s executive director Kirsten Clark, UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation’s interim executive director Craig Ferreira, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ chief intergovernmental affairs officer Dan Little, and Konami Gaming’s president and chief executive officer Steve Sutherland, among others. 

Transforming the Gaming Industry in Significant Ways

Gavin Isaacs is Scientific Game’s ex-chief executive officer and president as well as the current chairman for Games Global. He is known for reshaping the gaming landscape in the US by offering his expertise as a leading executive at numerous casino suppliers, closely supervising mergers that helped transform the industry. 

Virginia McDowell is Isle of Capri Casinos’ ex-chief executive officer and president. She is currently the Executive Director of Entain plc as well as the co-founder of Global Gaming Women. She received the title of “Gaming Executive of the Year” in 2009 from the prestigious Casino Journal Magazine. She was also the female president and chief executive officer of a large major gaming operating company for almost a decade. 

Michael Rumbolz is Everi Holdings’ executive chairman of the board. He also served as a chief executive officer within the same company. For more than four decades and counting, Rumbolz has tackled all aspects of the industry. He is also Nevada’s Chief Deputy Attorney General Nevada and the state Gaming Control Board’s chairman and the current Executive Chairman of the Board, Everi Holdings, Inc.

All three have helped change the gaming industry “in their own significant ways”, according to a statement from AGA’s chief executive officer and president Bill Miller. Miller added he was looking forward to the celebrations dedicated to the trio at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo.

At the end of July, the American Gaming Association released its updated anti-money laundering practices.