Jasmine Moreland, Director of External Affairs and Responsible Gaming at the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), has been named to the Emerging Leaders of Gaming (ELG) 40 Under 40 Class of 2027.
The national honor, presented by The Innovation Group (TIG) in partnership with Global Gaming Business (GGB) and iGaming Business (iGB), recognizes professionals under 40 who are already making significant impacts in the gaming industry.
Legislative work against illegal gaming
Moreland joined the MGCB in 2020, and since then she has led the agency’s legislative advocacy, tribal relations, responsible gaming work, and communications strategy.
Moreland’s effort to update Michigan’s statutory definition of a slot machine was aimed at closing gaps that illegal operators had exploited.
She has also defended the MGCB’s regulatory authority against redemption gaming legislation.
Her legislative record at the agency includes funding to sustain the state’s charitable gaming program. In addition, she secured ongoing appropriations for the Emmy Award-winning “Don’t Regret the Bet” campaign.
Besides “Don’t Regret the Bet,” her team is responsible for the youth-focused “Don’t Bet on Your Future” initiative and the Gambling Awareness Program (GAP). The team also runs the agency’s partnership with Gamban, which provides free gambling-blocking software to Michigan residents.
A nomination from the executive director
MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams nominated Moreland, and she was selected from hundreds of nominations received from across the industry.
“Jasmine is exactly the kind of leader this recognition was designed for,” said Williams. “She has been the MGCB’s voice at the Michigan Legislature in Lansing, a trusted partner to Michigan’s 12 sovereign tribal nations, and the driving force behind responsible gaming campaigns that reach people before gambling becomes a problem.
“I nominated her because her work is already making Michigan’s gaming market safer, and I know her best contributions are still ahead.”
Policy experience before the regulator
Before she joined the MGCB, Moreland was deputy director of legislative affairs for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She also served as a policy advisor in the Michigan House of Representatives, where she worked on Raise the Age and internet gaming reform.
Moreland holds a Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University’s James Madison College.
The Innovation Group founded Emerging Leaders of Gaming in 2012 to give young professionals opportunities for recognition and professional development. Global Gaming Business and iGaming Business co-present the 40 Under 40 program, and an independent selection committee chooses the honorees.
The Class of 2027 was announced on September 16. Honorees were celebrated on September 30 at an ELG networking reception at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, and the event took place in partnership with the Global Gaming Expo.