G2E 2026

For additional coverage from the panel, check here on the Global Gaming Insider website!

Kalani failed to address recent allegations made against DraftKings for using AI-powered data analysis to target losing bettors, but has compared the operator's business model to Amazon. "Shopping can be problematic for people."

The Fanatics Betting & Gaming VP of Government Relations claimed we can find him at the racetrack on Saturdays, where he sees grandfathers "holding kids up to place bets."

Dr. Shatley believes adults "don't understand the world" they might be introducing their kids to, while Iden joked "surprise, surprise" when discussing how young adults don't want to be told what to do.  

McCarthy jumped in by stating "scare tactics" don't work with the young adult population, and that such bettors wants the "facts," rather than "be told what to do."

Dr. Shatley responded by claiming operators and regulators have become "really creative with RG tools," and that

one of the advantages of sports betting is that it's a much broader ecosystem now.

Dr. Shatley:

We extend this to social media, fan engagement, broadcasts, everything is an opportunity to reach those audiences.

Kalani and Iden agreed that creating "incentive" for sports bettors to engage with RG tools has become an effective strategy for operators. 

Global Gaming Insider's first stop will be at a panel featuring Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) President & CEO Dr. Jennifer Shatley, Fanatics Betting & Gaming VP of Government Affairs Brandt Iden, DraftKings Chief Responsible Gaming Officer Lori Kalani and Responsible Gambling Council CEO Sarah McCarthy. The executives will discuss informed decision-making in sports betting and the evolution of responsible gambling. 

Shier closed the panel by warning that 'the thing you don't want to do is create a place where somebody thinks it needs to be fixed,' describing Las Vegas as 'the place where everybody is thinking about what comes next.'

When asked what type of changes both are seeing in hospitality, Shier claimed privatization is 'good for the marketplace,' directly referencing Fertitta Entertainment's deal with Caesars and MGM's near transaction with People Incorporated. 

Shier:

We need entrepreneurs. What changed the dynamics here is that we changed the product. And that is even after the fact we went though the pandemic and do not have our legs under us yet.

Shier:

You need to understand the nature of how your people are living. Identify and solve the problem. Too many times in what we do we focus on the weaker. Focus on the stronger and the people who are ultimately going to create success.

Hogg claims 'if you're a senior manager and you're not taking part in pre-shift, you're not doing your job.'

The Caesars Palace executive stated:

You win like a professional team. If you are not there first thing in the morning and last at night, you cannot bring the culture. And if you cannot bring the culture, you cannot understand hospitality.

Shier recounts meeting Steve Wynn early on in Las Vegas career, describing the hospitality icon as a 'dreamer.' Hogg, a trained butler from the UK, came over to Las Vegas following the debut of new villas at the MGM Grand. Also remembering Wynn, Hogg spoke on being given tasks that 'no one thought could be done' during his three-year tenure. 

Shier continued:

When I first got to Las Vegas it was a culture shock. The old joke used to be there were no clocks in the hotel room because they never wanted you to know what time it was. One of the things (Steve and I) saw was that there were not many things to do outside of gambling. It was all about the entertainment and finding other ways to bring people into market, so that way they would ultimately gamble. Clearly, the profitability line came totally from gaming.

Global Gaming Insider will now head over to a panel covering how hospitality drives success in gaming, moderated by Denstone Group CEO and regular contributor Oliver Lovat, former Mirage Resorts CEO Barry Shier and Caesars Palace Executive Director of Luxury Hotel Operations James Hogg. 

For additional coverage from the panel, check out our full story on the Global Gaming Insider website!

Wallach stated 'market making is the backbone' of sports event contracts, and that 'believing otherwise is ignoring reality.'

The Wallach Legal Founder continued:

It seems to me that prediction markets do not want this issue settled right away. Overall, no matter what happens, I think the states are sitting in a very good position.

Martino:

It is unfathomable the lengths (prediction markets) have gone to construct something which is irresponsible. It is the responsibility of all of us to stand up and point out where these things have fallen short. There has not even been an attempt to operate in a regulated manner.

Dreitzer questioned where the innovation lies with prediction markets, believing 'crime and deception is not innovation.'

These exchanges are not special, they can be regulated. Even if they were true betting exchanges they really are not special.

Next up on the agenda is a panel featuring Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer, Wallach Legal Founder Daniel Wallach, AGA VP of Government Relations Tres York and MGM Resorts SVP & Chief Compliance Officer Stephen Martino. The panel will compare regulation across sports betting, iGaming and, of course, prediction markets. Stay tuned on this channel for live updates, as well as additional coverage from the discussion on the Global Gaming Insider website. 

Gretzky:

The game is way better today. The players are better today, the equipment is better, the knowledge. We have learned so much more in every sport. I am not sure how everybody feels out there but I love watching the games. That is how I got on TNT. I encourage everyone to watch a hockey game. Our league is as strong as it has ever been.

Next up: Wayne Gretzky and Adam Greenblatt!

Reeg on responsible gambling:

It is impossible to build your business off problem gamblers. I think it is a silly assertion. I do not think there is anyone in the business not taking that seriously.

Reeg built on the sentiment by stating 'from our perspective, this is illegal.'

Reeg:

Kalshi offered a market on 'will Caesars be sold,' and there was nothing in their regulations that stopped me from betting.

Hornbuckle then joked that he and Billings had placed a wager on the Caesars acquisition market. 

Hornbuckle on Brazil banning online gambling:

It is unfortunate, but it is political. One of the things they did not do was make everyone start anew when they went from unregulated to regulated. That is a horrific result, and something we will think long and hard about what we do next.

On MGM's future integrated resort in Japan, Hornbuckle claimed:

We have been playing in the mud for over a year and are finally coming out of the dirt. We could not be more excited about it. There are 124 million people in Japan, so no, I am not worried (about competition).

On Caesars' sale to Fertitta Entertainment, Reeg said:

My favorite days are when the rest of the industry is getting cratered (on the stock market) because I do not have to live in that world anymore. It is appealing to get out of that to me. You should not be surprised if a property or two gets divested, but I would not expect them to be needle movers.

When asked if Caesars ever pondered acquiring Fertitta Entertainment, the operator's CEO denied such strategy. 

Reeg opens the discussion by stating Las Vegas is 'still reeling from the pandemic,' while Hornbuckle looked at airfare costs as a reason the city's tourism rates have declined. 

Billings on tourism rates falling:

I am super bullish on Las Vegas and tend not to get caught up on the quarter-to-quarter. It is a complicated world out there, I do not know what else to say.

Miller introduces the panel, claiming the 'state of gaming remains strong,' even while prediction markets pose a 'generational threat.'

Miller:

Even as we face a challenging environment, our industry is meeting the moment. Lawmakers know that we do business the right way. We come in the front door. While we knock on the front, there is a new group of bad guys called prediction markets. Here is what makes their approach so remarkable. They know what they are doing is wrong.

Prior to the discussion, however, be sure to catch up on our day one coverage with all the winners from the 2026 Global Gaming Awards Americas, as well as a prediction markets conversation featuring IGA Chairman David Bean, AGA President & CEO Bill Miller and CNIGA Chairman James Siva. 

That's a wrap on day one of G2E. Congratulations to the all of the winners at the 2026 Global Gaming Awards Americas, and click here for further coverage of the panel featuring IGA Chairman David Bean and AGA President & CEO Bill Miller. Onto day two!

Miller closed the panel with a Mike Tyson quote, stating 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.' While the AGA leader believes prediction markets landed the first punch, he now confidently believes such operators are 'on the run.'

Chairman Siva continued:

It did take a lot of pushing to get our Attorney General to be active on this. We never would have thought we would get 44 Attorney Generals to agree on this issue. We have really seen that momentum shift because the messaging has been so well done. From those early court losses it seemed like we were heading in the wrong direction, but it is working. We are on the right side of this issue, and while these prediction markets continue to pour money into different avenues left, right and center, they are losing.

Chairman Siva:

Really this entry of illegal activity has done the one thing that they cannot afford to have happen, which is unify California Tribes

Prior to the conclusion of day one here at the Global Gaming Expo, a main stage panel featuring IGA Chairman David Bean, Executive Director Jason Giles, AGA President & CEO Bill Miller and CNIGA Chairman James Siva will discuss why a unified response is needed to combat prediction markets' growth. 

Before announcing Executive of the Year, perhaps the biggest award of the ceremony, be sure to follow along on the Global Gaming Awards Americas livestream. 

For the first time in Global Gaming Awards Americas history, the winner of the Industry Influencer of the Year award is Hillary McAfee! A worthy recipient for the inaugural honor!

For its MONOPOLY Table Game Progressives, Galaxy Gaming has been awarded with Product Innovation of the Year at the 2026 Global Gaming Awards Americas. 

Customer Loyalty Program of the Year goes to Station Casinos! The local Las Vegas operator was honored for its my|Rewards Boarding Pass program, which connects to over a dozen gaming establishments. 

Kambi has won Sportsbook Supplier of the Year! Congratulations to Kambi, and be sure to keep up to date here for more live updates throughout the show. 

Don't forget, you can follow along with the 2026 Global Gaming Awards Americas live on YouTube through the Awards' official stream here. 

Marking a double winner at the Awards, Aristocrat Gaming managed to take home Land-Based Supplier of the Year for both Class II and Class III! The supplier will also be up for Slot of the Year later in the show. 

To begin this year's show, Hard Rock International takes home the award for Land-Based Operator of the Year! Fitting given the operator will soon debut its new guitar-shaped project in Las Vegas. 

The 2026 Global Gaming Awards Americas are underway! Follow along on this feed or on the Awards' official livestream. 

The main event today is the Global Gaming Awards Americas, which we'll keep you posted on later. But the main news from Friday night came from South America, were President Lula signed a decree to ban online betting outright. Read Global Gaming Insider's full analysis HERE.

As Global Gaming Insider takes off for Las Vegas ahead of the G2E tradeshow, be sure to check out our latest analysis covering the inaugural partnership between the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and Kalshi. 

With Tribal regulators continuing in their fight against prediction markets, the new collaboration is sure to ruffle some feathers at G2E next week...

Be sure to stay up-to-date through this feed, and wish Global Gaming Insider safe travels across the pond!

On September 21, the Global Gaming Expo added an education session featuring AGA President & CEO Bill Miller, titled: A United Front: Confronting Prediction Markets Together

The panel will cover how the industry can align legal and political strategies to fight back against prediction markets, as well as what collective action may be necessary to protect gaming, sovereignty and regulatory authority.

Fresh off the press!

Global Gaming Insider's G2E Preview is now available at the link below. 

G2E Preview Magazine

The 2026 edition includes a look into the conference's top panels, coverage of which themes are set to take over G2E and insights from leading gaming suppliers and the AGA!