NCLGS Summer Meeting to Tackle One of Gaming’s Most Pressing Questions: What Is the Right Tax Rate?

SAN DIEGO, CA — As regulated gambling continues to expand across sports betting, iGaming, brick-and-mortar casinos, and emerging wagering platforms, one question is increasingly shaping legislative debates nationwide: What is the right tax rate?



Set rates too high and states risk discouraging investment, limiting market growth, and pushing consumers toward illegal offshore operators. Set them too low and policymakers may leave critical public revenue on the table. Striking the right balance has become one of the most consequential challenges facing lawmakers and regulators.

At the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) Summer Meeting, taking place July 8-11 at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, a distinguished panel of legislators, regulators, tax and compliance experts, and industry leaders will examine how tax policy decisions are influencing the trajectory of legal gaming markets across the United States.

The session will be co-chaired by Senator Tim Lang (New Hampshire), NCLGS Executive Committee Member, and Representative Emily Gise (Oklahoma), and will feature expert perspectives from:

• Cooley A. Arroyo, Chief Compliance Officer, New Hampshire Lottery Commission
• Matt Hortenstine, General Counsel, J&J
• Brian L. Oliner, General Counsel, Federation of Tax Administrators
• John Pappas, President, Corridor Consulting; iDEA Growth

This session is part of a robust program that includes:

• General Session – Prediction Markets (extended session)
• General Session – Sports Betting in America: Risks, Rewards, and the Road Ahead (extended session)
• Joint Committee on Casinos & Indian Gaming Sovereignty – Sports Betting & the Future of Tribal Gaming: A California Conversation
• Pari‑Mutuel Committee – The Road Ahead: Decoupling, HHR and HISA
• General Session – State Attorneys General on the Docket
• NCLGS International Committee – Illegal Gambling at Home and Abroad
• Committee on Responsible Gambling, featuring a presentation from Parents Standing Together
• Committee on Lottery
• Committee on Emerging Forms of Gaming – Does Regulation Stifle Innovation? Legislative Considerations for a Rapidly Evolving Gaming Industry

There will also be two evening receptions, and a late-night event sponsored by FanDuel (details coming soon). The meeting will conclude with a Legislator/Regulator Roundtable, presented in partnership with the North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA).

Registration for the NCLGS Summer Meeting is now open, with early‑bird discounts available until May 22. Sponsorship opportunities remain for organizations seeking to engage directly with lawmakers and industry leaders during this milestone 30th anniversary year.

NCLGS has secured a block of rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego for Summer Meeting attendees. To receive the group rate, reservations must be made by June 5, 2026. After this cutoff date, rooms will be offered based on availability and at the hotel’s prevailing rates. Attendees are strongly encouraged to book their accommodation as early as possible.

For more information, visit NCLGS.org

NCLGS meetings are produced and organized by Spectrum Gaming Group, which serves as Executive Director and has supported the organization’s growth for more than a decade.

Key Contacts:

Sponsorship: Josh Faber

Events: Jenna Wheeler

Legislative: Wayne Marlin

Media: Sherry Amos

NCLGS is the only organization of state lawmakers that meets on a regular basis to discuss gaming-related issues. The NCLGS semiannual meetings, which are open to the public, attract numerous state legislators as well as regulators, gaming operators and suppliers, attorneys, lobbyists, media, and other stakeholders to discuss all aspects of regulated gaming, as well as the risk implications of unregulated gaming. NCLGS meetings are proudly produced and organized by Spectrum Gaming Group, which serves as Executive Director.

2026 Summer Meeting Sponsors

MEDIA PARTNERS

NCLGS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR