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PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW The Future is Cashless 2026 EDITION How long will cash be king in casinos? GAMING’S MOST PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS AGEM ASSESSMENT G2E EXHIBITORS G2E EDUCATION A Global Gaming Business Publication VISIT GGB AT BOOTH #5237 Prediction Markets Pushback Aggressive growth, legal scrutiny2026 PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW P3 3 DEPARTMENTS 4 Editor’s Letter 6 Casino Communications With Maureen Beddis, Senior Vice President of Membership and Events, American Gaming Association, and Korbi Carrison, Event Vice President, G2E, RX USA 14 Progressive Products Highlights of products on display at G2E, A-Z by manufacturer By Frank Legato 70 Ad Index PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW CONTENTS 2026 Edition a GGB publication CORPORATE PROFILES 50 AGS 50 Ainsworth Game Technology 52 Aristocrat Gaming 52 Bluberi 54 BMM TestLabs 54 BurraPay 56 CasinoTrac/TableTrac 56 Cuningham 58 Fantalooks Co., Ltd. 58 Gaming Laboratories International 60 Incredible Technologies 60 JCM Global 62 Koin 62 Konami Gaming 64 Marker Trax 64 Novomatic Americas 66 R2Architects and R2Interiors 66 Signature Systems, Inc. 68 TBE Architects 68 Zenwork FOCUS ON G2E 30 Welcome Letter G2E 2026: What’s Next for the Global Gaming Industry By Bill Miller 31 G2E Experience 32 Dealer Tournament 34 Schedule-at-a-Glance 36 Exhibitor Directory 40 G2E Education Series FEATURES 42 AGEM Assessment Daron Dorsey, president and CEO of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, on tariffs, unlicensed gaming operators, RG and more. 44 Elevated Appeal Inside the design strategy behind North Fork Mono Casino, California’s latest tribal gaming resort. 46 The Problem with Prediction Markets Sportsbooks, regulators and lawmakers grapple with the unpredictable rise of prediction markets, already a multibillion-dollar industry. By Matt Rybaltowski COVER STORY 10 Cashing It In With the influx of cash-free payment options, the green stuff could one day be passé—even in casinos. By Frank Legato4 P3 PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW 2026 EDITOR’S LETTER BY MARJORIE PRESTON W elcome to another issue of Progressive Products Preview, or P3. Each year Global Gaming Business presents this special edition devoted to industry trends and innovations showcased at G2E in Las Vegas. Expect the 2026 trade show—and this companion issue—to reflect startling, ongoing changes and challenges to the traditional gaming industry. These influences include the rapid rise of prediction markets (which still occupy a legal gray area), skill games (ditto), artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and other disruptive forces. They also include the continuing tilt toward mobile and online gaming and consequent changes in the land-based casino environment. Some of these products and propositions will endure and become industry mainstays. Others will rise, fall and be forgotten. Almost all will combine to make the next phase of gaming a transformative one, especially given shifting consumer behaviors and technological capabilities. It may be natural to approach the future with apprehension. But it’s an old axiom that the rewards of change begin at the edge of your comfort zone. Here’s what to look for in this edition: • On Page 10 , see Frank Legato’s retrospective on cash in casinos, and why the cold hard stuff may finally give way to cashless transactions. • Starting on Page 14, check out our Progressive Products section: the newest cabinets, gaming systems and accessories, payment solutions, AI applications, casino management systems, bill validators and a whole lot more. • Turn to Page 30 to learn all about G2E 2026: this year’s conference panels, expert speakers and educational sessions, along with a directory of exhibitors. • On Page 42 , AGEM President Daron Dorsey discusses issues facing every segment of the industry, from global trade policies to regulatory concerns. • On Page 46, read Matt Rybaltowski’s up-to-the-minute report on prediction markets, including their effect on the G2E lineup and possible repercussions on the larger industry. The issue also includes advice from PMI’s Carl Long on how to plan and manage FF&E purchasing in an uncertain economy; a preview of the second annual Dealer Championship, now open to dealers across North America; and news about the upcoming North Fork Mono Casino in Madera, California, led by the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians. Few would dispute that our industry is entering a moment of potentially revolutionary change. Read all about it in these pages, then watch it come to life on the floor at the Venetian Expo, September 28-October 1. See you in Las Vegas. Turning the Page PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW 2026 EDITION Frank Legato, Editor-in-Chief flegato@ggbmagazine.com Robin Harrison, Publisher robin.harrison-millan@worldgamingbusiness.com Marjorie Preston, Editor mpreston@ggbmagazine.com Roger Gros, Editor-at-Large rgros@ggbmagazine.com Monica Cooley, Art Director mcooley@ggbmagazine.com Terri Brady, Sales & Marketing Director tbrady@ggbmagazine.com Columnists Carl Long • Bill Miller Contributing Editor Matt Rybaltowski _____ EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Rino Armeni, President, Armeni Enterprises • Dike Bacon, Principal/Partner, HBG Design • Lauren Bates, President, Global Gaming Women • Mark A. Birtha, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Hard Rock International • Brendan Bussmann, Principal, BGlobal Advisors • Alex Dixon, Senior Advisor, Board of Directors, Resorts World Las Vegas • Daron Dorsey, President and CEO, Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers • Sally Gainsbury, Director at Gambling Treatment & Research Clinic & Professor of Psychology, University of Sydney • Stephen Martino, Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer, MGM Resorts International • Bill Miller, President and CEO, American Gaming Association • Walt Power, CEO, Grand Ho Tram • Rob Russell, Senior Gaming Analyst, Regulatory Management Counselors PC • James Siva, Chairman, California Nations Indian Gaming Association/ Vice Chairman, Morongo Band of Mission Indians • Michael Soll, President, International Center for Responsible Gaming • Kresimir Spajic, CEO, Allwyn Digital • Katherine Spilde, Executive Director, Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming, San Diego State University —————— GGB Magazine 702-248-1565 • www.ggbmagazine.com The views and opinions expressed by the writers and columnists of GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS are not necessarily the views of the publisher or editor. Copyright 2026 Clarion Digital Media LLC GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS is published monthly by Clarion Gaming International, LLC. Printed in Nevada, USA. Email: subscriptions@ggbmagazine.com Official Publication6 P3 PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW 2026 CASINO COMMUNICATIONS T ens of thousands of industry professionals, from operators and executives to vendors, suppliers and game designers, will convene in Las Vegas in September for the 26th Global Gaming Expo. P3 asked show organizers Maureen Beddis and Korbi Carrison for their take on the annual extravaganza and what it may reveal for the future of gaming. Beddis is senior vice president of membership and events at the American Gaming Association. Carrison is event vice president, G2E, for RX USA. P3: Last year was a milestone year for G2E, its 25th anniversary. Is it even possible to anticipate how gaming may shift in the next quarter-century, given strides in technology? Maureen Beddis: It’s difficult to predict what gaming will look like 25 years from now, especially when you consider how much the industry has changed since the first G2E. However, we do know that technology will continue to shape how people play and how operators run their businesses. G2E gives the industry a place to examine those changes, along with the opportunities, risks and responsibilities they bring as they’re happening in real time. How many exhibitors will attend in ’26 and how does that compare to last year’s show? Korbi Carrison: We expect nearly 400 exhibitors at G2E 2026, which is consistent with last year’s show. This year will also feature a New Exhibitor Zone dedicated to companies exhibiting at G2E for the first time or second time as well as a new Business Solutions & Tech Zone. Keynotes are a focal point for G2E. How are you approaching this year’s programming? MB: We begin with the conversations industry leaders are having today, while also looking ahead to the topics likely to shape gaming’s future. Our goal is to bring informed perspectives to the stage and give attendees insights into how they apply within their own organizations. We also make a concerted effort to ensure our keynotes cover topics from all aspects of the industry. Readers may be interested in the work it takes to mount the show, which draws tens of thousands of people from around the world. Can you take us behind the scenes? How do you create the curriculum, for example? KC: Planning begins well before the previous year’s show ends. We review attendee feedback and speak with operators, suppliers, regulators and other industry leaders about their priorities. We hold an open call for content early in the year and our education advisory boards also help review session proposals, identify timely topics and recommend speakers. The final program reflects input from across the industry. Last year more than 25,000 people attended G2E. How do you help them get around without confusion or traffic jams? KC: We provide attendees with planning tools before they arrive. Our new and improved mobile tool, G2E Now, includes the full schedule, exhibitor listings and show floor maps, allowing attendees to organize their days in advance. Clear signage, dedicated areas and staff throughout the Venetian Expo also help people move through the show efficiently. The Second 25 Years: G2E at a Moment of Transformation “G2E gives the industry a place to examine (technological) changes, along with the opportunities, risks and responsibilities they bring as they’re happening in real time.” —Maureen Beddis, Senior Vice President of Membership and Events, American Gaming Association2026 PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW P3 7 In the past, what have been the most popular conference sessions? Tell us more about the education sessions for this year. KC: Technology, sports betting, regulation, responsible gaming and casino operations have consistently drawn strong interest. AI has also become a major area of focus. This year’s program will feature more than 100 sessions and more than 300 speakers, ranging from tribal gaming and iGaming to payments, cybersecurity, marketing and total property experience. How will the 2026 lineup address challenges that have deepened due to technological capabilities, like data risks and fraud prevention? MB: Cybersecurity, fraud prevention and data protection now affect nearly every part of the gaming business. The 2026 education program will examine these issues from several perspectives, including technology, operations, compliance, and responsible gaming. Attendees will also find related products and services within the new Business Solutions & Tech Zone. AI is no longer the new kid in town, but its applications in the gaming realm are still evolving. Do you expect a big audience for this kind of information? MB: Yes, we expect strong interest. The conversation around AI has moved beyond defining the technology. Gaming professionals now want to understand where AI delivers value, how companies are putting into practice and where safeguards are needed. Those questions have immediate relevance for operators. The Gaming Hall of Fame induction is always a highly anticipated part of G2E. What can you share about this year’s class and how it reflects the industry’s evolution? MB: The 2026 class includes Holly Gagnon, Bill G. Lance Jr., Scott Olive and Timothy Wilmott. Their careers span tribal and commercial gaming, game design, economic development and executive leadership. Together, they represent the range of people and disciplines responsible for the industry’s growth, and we’re looking forward to honoring their outstanding contributions. Tribal gaming is an essential part of G2E. How are you ensuring that tribal leaders and executives find meaningful opportunities for engagement this year? MB: Tribal gaming is integrated throughout G2E. Tribal leaders participate as speakers, advisers and attendees, bringing their perspectives to conversations across the show. Tribal gaming is also one of the education program’s 15 core topics, with sessions focused on economic growth, innovation and priorities of tribal enterprises. Global Gaming Women’s presence at G2E has grown steadily in both visibility and impact. How do you partner with GGW to support its success? MB: Global Gaming Women has become an important part of G2E. We work closely with GGW to give women leaders a platform to share their experiences, connect with peers and support the next generation of executives. Its programming brings an important perspective to the broader conversations taking place during the show. How does the show create places for people to meet and interact with their peers? KC: Many attendees come to G2E for the relationships as much as the products and education. The Networking Lounge, Media Zone, iGaming Hub, and new Business Solutions & Tech Zone will give people places to connect. We also build networking into receptions, education sessions, and events throughout the week, creating even more opportunities to build meaningful connections. The 2025 Dealer Championship was fun for spectators. Is it coming back this year? KC: Yes, and the competition is expanding! Dealers from across North America will compete for recognition as the region’s best dealer. The response to the inaugural championship was so strong, we look forward to bringing it back on a larger scale. To sum it up in a few words, why should people come to G2E? KC: G2E brings the industry together in one place. Attendees have the opportunity to see new products, hear directly from industry leaders, and build relationships with gaming professionals from around the world. No other event offers that level of access in a single week, in Las Vegas, the gaming capital of the world. “Technology, sports betting, regulation, responsible gaming and casino operations have consistently drawn strong interest. AI has also become a major area of focus. This year’s program will feature more than 100 sessions and more than 300 speakers.” —Korbi Carrison, Event Vice President, G2E, RX USA8 P3 PROGRESSIVE PRODUCTS PREVIEW 2026 I n Information is getting easier to obtain. Judg- ment turns it into the right project decision. Artificial intelligence can compare specifications, analyze costs and evaluate alternatives in seconds. What it can’t do is replace the judgment required to make the right project decision at the right time. That distinction matters. On a major casino or hospitality project, purchasing isn’t a series of trans- actions. It’s a consultative function operating across ownership, design, construction, operations, vendors and logistics. The value of an experienced purchasing agent isn’t knowing how to buy something. It’s under- standing the project well enough to help the team evaluate choices, anticipate consequences and find the best course forward. THE FIRST MILE MATTERS The most consequential purchasing decisions happen before a purchase order is issued. A conceptual budget should do more than assign a number to an FF&E package. It should reflect design direction, quality expectations, project location, sourcing markets, freight, lead times and supply conditions. An experienced purchasing agent can look at an early design concept and identify budget challenges before a project progresses too far. Sourcing strategy requires the same perspective. tariffs and lead times? Can the vendors perform? These aren’t just purchasing questions, but project questions. The answers affect design, budget, sched- ule and operations. Purchasing needs to be in those conversations early, while there’s still time to act. PURCHASING AT THE INTERSECTION The best purchasing teams don’t wait downstream for completed specifications and instructions to buy. They are part of the project team. The designer protects design intent. The contrac- tor protects schedule. Operations is concerned with functionality and durability. Ownership is responsi- ble for investment and return. At the intersection of those interests, purchasing must translate among priorities. A design decision has a cost implication. A sourcing decision has a schedule implication. A schedule decision can create an operational or revenue implication. From an owner’s perspective, purchasing decisions are often risk management decisions. The lowest initial cost doesn’t always create the greatest value. A less expensive source may intro- duce lead time or production risk. A substitution may reduce cost but compromise durability. A domestic option may carry a higher unit price but protect the schedule. Spending more on an item may be justified if it protects the opening date and associated revenue. These tools can compare multiple sourcing scenarios against cost and schedule in minutes. What they can’t tell you is which risk an owner is prepared to carry on a project. Understanding the tradeoffs takes more than a bid tab. Sometimes the right answer is to spend more because the schedule can’t move. Sometimes it’s to challenge a specification because another solution achieves the same objective at better value. The goal is not to advocate for the purchasing answer. It’s to help the team arrive at the best project answer. WHERE THE GAINS SHOW UP The early gains from these tools aren’t in the de- cisions. They’re in the work that precedes them. Specification review is one. FF&E specifications arrive incomplete more often than anyone would like. A missing finish. An unconfirmed dimen- sion. A fabric with no grade assigned. Every gap becomes a vendor question, a budget assumption or a change order. Analyzing the data for gaps be- fore a package goes out for pricing means vendors quote against better information, and a budget takes far less time to develop. Exposure analysis is another. When the Su- preme Court ruled that IEEPA does not autho- Room for Judgment rize tariffs, every importer faced the same questions: which transactions were affected, and what was the exposure? PMI reviewed a full year of transactions and identified the affected activity in hours—work that would previously have taken days or weeks. The third is administrative load. Data entry, doc- ument handling, status reporting and reconciliation consume hours that produce no insight. As those tasks are absorbed, purchasing teams spend more time on analysis, strategy and collaboration with the project team. The value isn’t fewer people making decisions. It’s giving experienced people more time to work with the project team on decisions that matter. None of this replaces judgment. It creates room for it. Owners should expect their teams to use these tools, and should ask how. JUDGMENT IN THE LAST MILE Technology can tell us what’s possible. Judgment helps determine what’s appropriate. That distinction is clearest at the end of a project. The final stages rarely unfold as planned. Something arrives damaged. A field condition changes. Installation sequencing changes. The opening date may remain fixed regardless. At that point the project doesn’t need another theoretical answer. It needs a practical solution. An experienced purchasing agent understands the product, vendor, schedule and logistics. Just as importantly, that person understands the project team and can bring the right people together quickly. The solution often depends less on identifying another op- tion than on understanding which option the project can actually execute. In an industry powered by data and technology, competitive advantage won’t come from information alone, but from experienced professionals who can transform information into sound project decisions. Ultimately, project teams are accountable for outcomes, not recommendations. Judgment bridges the gap between information and accountability. Carl Long is president and CEO of Purchasing Management International. PURCHASING Effective purchasing teams anticipate the unexpected and prepare in advance to pivot BY CARL LONGNext >