How to recognise human trafficking victims: insights from the American Gaming Association

Garance Limouzy July 10, 2024

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How to recognise human trafficking victims: insights from the American Gaming Association

On Tuesday, the American Gaming Association (AGA) endorsed legislation aimed at fighting human trafficking by training employees in the hospitality industry to identify and respond to such cases.

Training the workforce

According to this law, known as the Human Trafficking Awareness Training Recognition Act of 2024, the Department of Homeland Security is to implement a programme called Blue Campaign. This programme will encourage employers to train their workforce to recognise common indicators of human trafficking and educate them on how to respond and collaborate with law enforcement and other partners. This collaboration is precious and crucial because human traffickers frequently exploit the travel and tourism industry to locate and traffic victims.

AGA president and CEO Bill Miller stated, “Businesses across hospitality, entertainment, and transportation have a responsibility to strengthen efforts against human trafficking, and the gaming industry is fully committed to this imperative.”

However, the AGA has already demonstrated its commitment to the fight against human trafficking. In 2022, the gaming association had released free training resources to help gaming industry employees fight human trafficking. The AGA Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, comprised of security, hospitality, and anti-money laundering experts, developed videos, quizzes, and a guide, in addition to conducting training sessions for interested gaming companies. These programmes are available to all, free of charge.

Extract from the AGA guide: Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in the Gaming Industry.

Recognising human trafficking victims

Best practices outlined by the AGA include an educational programme covering four key areas: education, observation, communication, and escalation. Employees likely to encounter trafficking victims include security personnel, table dealers, bartenders, valets, concierges, and front desk staff.

Managers on the other hand have to be trained to appropriately respond to suspicions reported by these employees and to contact the relevant authorities.

The AGA’s comprehensive guide on human trafficking lists signs employees should be aware of that may indicate human trafficking, such as signs of poor hygiene, malnourishment, or fatigue; fearful, anxious, or submissive behaviour; victims not in control of their cell phone, ID, hotel key, or money; and victims of similar age, ethnicity, tattoos, or attire accompanied by a trafficker.