Where are the next casino growth targets in the US in 2026?
Founding Partner Josh Swissman was featured in iGaming Business in an article examining which U.S. market are most likely to become the next major casino growth targets in 2026. Swissman pointed to Georgia as a leading candidate for casino expansion.
Georgia on the industry’s mind
For several years, the Peach State has been anything but peachy for gaming expansion. This is especially true of online sports betting, though casino gaming was brought into the equation with the formation of the House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia last summer. The committee was tasked with studying the pros and cons of expanding various forms of gaming in the state, casinos included. A total of four hearings were held, with 35 presenters.
One of the analysts who presented in August was Josh Swissman, managing director of GMA Consulting. Swissman told iGB that Georgia “checks all the boxes” as a casino growth target.
The state has a sizable population – approximately 8.1 million, eighth in the US – and the Atlanta metro area in particular is sixth-largest at 6.3 million. It is also flanked by very little casino competition in Alabama, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Florida and its Seminole-Hard Rock casinos are the biggest competition, but that might not prove insurmountable.
“Most of the Florida casino density is in the southern part of the state, which gets pretty far down in terms of travelling,” Swissman said. “And there’s generally some pretty strong pockets of wealth and higher-net worth individuals in Georgia too, so there’s a lot of different reasons why it could be an attractive market for operators and developers.”
Legislative and regulatory approvals notwithstanding, Swissman feels the market could support several licences and operator types. During committee hearings, multiple companies presented, including Wynn Resorts, Bally’s Corp, Boyd Gaming and Gaming and Leisure Properties.
“I would imagine that there could be a number of licences, some more attractive to the larger operators but also a number of regional-type facilities to cater to some of those road travellers,” Swissman said.
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