G2E 2026 Executives Detail Las Vegas Conditions and Multi-Year Global Commitments

Casino operators outlined current market conditions and future plans during the “CEO Outlook: The Global State of Gaming” session at G2E 2026. Bill Hornbuckle, president and CEO of MGM Resorts International, Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, and Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts, spoke on softening visitation, premium demand, international projects, public-market constraints, and regulatory tensions around prediction markets. The panel was moderated by CNBC correspondent Contessa Brewer.

Las Vegas Demand Patterns and Premium Focus

Visitor volumes have softened with pressure on the leisure segment from higher airfare and reduced flight capacity. The executives rejected any weakening of the destination’s core appeal and instead highlighted the quality of customers and resilience in higher-end segments.

Hornbuckle pointed to hotel rates as evidence of value. “Our average rates have crept up from like the 35th biggest market to like No. 17 or 18, but we’re still 40 percent lower (on hotel rates) than New York,” Hornbuckle said. “We’re 7 percent lower than L.A. Las Vegas still is an incredible value.”

Reeg described current conditions as a return to pre-pandemic norms. “I think we’re really back to where we were pre-pandemic,” he said. Premium resorts are avoiding aggressive discounting, with conventions, luxury travel, and high-end gaming holding up better than price-sensitive leisure.

International Projects and Longer Investment Horizons

In Macau the operators stressed focus on mid- and long-term premium demand rather than raw visitor counts. MGM continues converting standard rooms to suites to extract more value from casino customers. Both Hornbuckle and Billings said short-term fluctuations in traffic or gross gaming revenue do not change their confidence in the market’s longer-term economics.

Wynn is advancing its $5.7 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island project in the United Arab Emirates scheduled to open in September 2027. MGM is committed to its roughly $10 billion integrated resort in Osaka expected to open in 2030. Hornbuckle said MGM’s position as the first integrated resort operator in Japan could provide a substantial competitive advantage. “If we don’t have at least a five-year head start, I’d be absolutely shocked,” he said.

Reeg addressed Caesars’ pending transaction with Fertitta Entertainment that moves the company toward private ownership. He criticized quarterly pressures. “We’re forced as public companies to think in 90-day periods and that’s not healthy … because that’s not how you run a business,” Reeg said.

The panel also turned to prediction markets. Hornbuckle was direct: “Prediction markets are hurting the industry, full stop.” He added that operators entering regulated markets should obtain licenses and meet the same requirements as sportsbooks. As reported by Yogonet International, these exchanges underscored how major capital decisions now rest on horizons measured in years rather than quarters.

Reporting: Yogonet International

Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.