American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s announcement that the pre-departure testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States will be lifted on June 12:
“The American Gaming Association applauds the White House’s decision to lift the COVID-19 testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States. By welcoming back international business and leisure travelers, the American gaming industry and our nation’s hospitality sector can fully recover. This move puts the United States on equal footing with other countries and will provide a major boost to our nation’s travel and hospitality industries.
“The AGA and our members have been vocal proponents of this move for months, and we are thankful for the Nevada delegation and other champions in Congress who continue to support gaming communities across the country. We are grateful to the CDC, all those in the health and science community, and the Biden administration for tackling this enormous challenge and making this a reality.
“At the same time, we must not forget that more can still be done to return tourism to pre-pandemic levels. We ask the State Department to continue their work to speed up international visa processing time by investing in additional staff and allowing virtual interviews. Eliminating the testing requirement will undoubtedly open our doors to more international visitors and we should make the process for entry as efficient and accessible as possible.”
