The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2026 officially opens its exhibition floor Tuesday in Las Vegas, bringing together more than 25,000 gaming professionals and more than 400 exhibitors from across the global regulated gaming industry.
The event, presented by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and organized by RX, runs through October 1 at The Venetian Expo, with this year’s program putting prediction markets, artificial intelligence, technology and the evolving relationship between gaming and sports among the key topics shaping the conversation.
While education sessions began Monday, the expo floor opens Tuesday at 10 a.m., marking the start of the main exhibition program. G2E organizers expect attendees from more than 120 countries, regions and territories, with companies showcasing developments across casino gaming, iGaming, sports betting, payments, hospitality and business technology.
Prediction markets take center stage
One of the most closely watched issues at G2E this year is the growing presence of prediction markets in the US sports betting landscape.
The debate has become particularly significant in Nevada, where regulators have argued that prediction-market operators are offering sports betting without complying with the state’s gaming framework. Kalshi, one of the largest prediction-market operators in the US, is not exhibiting at G2E, but its business model and the wider regulatory dispute are expected to feature prominently in discussions throughout the event.
The issue also features in G2E’s opening programming. A Main Stage session titled “The Power of Unity: Confronting the Prediction Markets Challenge” brings tribal gaming representatives together to discuss concerns over prediction markets, jurisdiction and the potential impact on tribal gaming frameworks.
Gwen Mills, International Union President, UNITE HERE; Rodney Butler, Chairman, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation; Representative Steven Horsford, Congressman, Nevada; and Bill Miller, President and CEO, American Gaming Association, will explore how gaming stakeholders and allies can align their legal, political, and public policy efforts and “why collective action is critical to protecting gaming, tribal sovereignty, and regulatory authority.”
AGA President Bill Miller
AI and technology move beyond the casino floor
Artificial intelligence is another major theme at G2E 2026, with technology increasingly moving into virtually every part of the gaming business.
The show’s new Business Solutions & Tech Zone is designed specifically around this shift, bringing together technologies covering AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, payments, CRM, marketing technology and other enterprise solutions.
The organizers say the zone is intended to showcase technologies that can help integrated resorts improve efficiency, personalization and revenue, extending the technology conversation beyond traditional gaming equipment.
That broader technology focus reflects how the gaming industry is increasingly looking at the entire player journey rather than individual products. Data, payments, loyalty, cybersecurity and customer engagement are becoming increasingly interconnected with the casino floor itself, and will also be represented on the floor.
Major casino CEOs headline G2E program
The Main Stage will also bring together some of the industry’s most prominent executives.
Tuesday’s program includes a conversation featuring MGM Resorts International CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle, Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg and Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings. CNBC correspondent Contessa Brewer will moderate the discussion, which will cover the state of the gaming industry, expansion in Las Vegas and international markets, integrated resorts, technology and tourism.
The program will also feature BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt in conversation with hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, focusing on sports betting, digital innovation and the convergence between professional sports and gaming.
The broader G2E education program includes more than 100 sessions and more than 300 speakers, covering topics ranging from regulation and responsible gaming to technology, sports betting, iGaming and international markets.
Dealer Championship expands across North America
Another returning feature of G2E is the Dealer Championship, which debuted at the event in 2025.
The competition has expanded this year to include dealers from Canada and Mexico, alongside participants from the US, with contestants competing to be recognized as the best casino dealer in North America.
The competition runs from September 29 through October 1 and is open to dealers employed by legal and regulated casino operators in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The organizers have positioned the championship as both a competition and a celebration of casino-floor talent, adding another element to an event increasingly focused on the people and technology behind the gaming experience.
A broader view of gaming
Beyond the headline issues, G2E 2026 is also expanding its focus on new companies and technologies.
The New Exhibitor Zone will provide dedicated space for first- and second-time exhibitors, while the iGaming Hub will focus on online gaming developments and networking.
The G2E Networking Lounge and Media Zone are also returning, giving attendees dedicated spaces to connect with industry peers and media representatives on the exhibition floor.
With more than 25,000 professionals expected and exhibitors spanning commercial and tribal casinos, online operators, suppliers, technology companies and other parts of the gaming ecosystem, G2E arrives at a moment of significant change for the industry.
Prediction markets are challenging established definitions of sports betting and gaming regulation, while AI and other technologies are changing how operators approach everything from casino operations to player engagement.
Those questions will be at the center of the conversations taking place across the Venetian Expo as G2E 2026 gets fully underway in Las Vegas.
Check today’s program here.