Macquarie Cites Slot Suppliers as Anchor for US Gaming Resilience After G2E

Macquarie left the Global Gaming Expo cautiously optimistic on the U.S. gaming sector. After more than 20 meetings, analyst Chad Beynon and team see support from resilient consumer demand, stable regional trends, and core casino customers in the regulated market. Softer visitation, hotel performance, and regulatory risks temper the outlook, according to reporting by Gambling Insider.

Slot Suppliers Hold the Clearest Growth Path

Macquarie holds strongest conviction in slot suppliers. Industry slot gross gaming revenue is projected to reach $104 billion in 2026, up 4% year over year, with leased revenue also growing 4%. New cabinets, premium products, and wider distribution across floors and digital channels provide multiple expansion routes.

Light & Wonder management reported that AI has reduced game porting time from six to eight weeks to about 17 hours. The company posted 18% growth in gaming operations revenue in the second quarter and added 652 premium units. Aristocrat cited its content pipeline, premium installed base, and Aristocrat Interactive as market share drivers.

These factors allow suppliers to grow even if casino traffic remains soft, though they still rely on sustained casino investment and player spending.

Where the Risk Lies

Las Vegas visitation declined 0.9% year to date while Strip RevPAR fell 6.9%. Strip gaming revenue nonetheless rose 2.9% through the first eight months. Regional same-store gaming revenue increased 1.3% in July before dropping 1.9% in August, the first negative comparison since December 2025. Operators noted resilient core customers but mixed signals from lower-income segments.

Prediction markets create separate growth for data providers Genius Sports and Sportradar through official data and trading tools, with Sportradar executives projecting revenue in the tens of millions this year. Yet the cannibalization question with sports betting lacks long-term data.

In Brazil, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional measure banning fixed-odds betting. Flutter forecast an approximate $70 million revenue reduction and $20 million adjusted EBITDA impact for 2026 if the measure holds. Inspired Entertainment flagged $3 million in potential fourth-quarter revenue exposure.

The next regional revenue reports and operator earnings will test whether gaming spend holds amid softer traffic or if the observed resilience narrows.

Reporting: Gambling Insider

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