written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
26 Apr 2023
Journalist, Editorial Department
The American Gaming Association (AGA) and Fitch Ratings conducted a joint survey involving 26 industry executives. The results revealed that while most managers are optimistic about the current business environment, future expectations are clouded by uncertainty.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents expressed satisfaction with the current climate in the gaming sector, while 35% described it as acceptable. Only 20% of executives anticipate improvements in the future, with 64% believing that business conditions will remain stable.
Bill Miller, President and CEO of AGA, stated, "The record growth of the gaming industry will continue into 2023, and this is clearly reflected in the sentiments of leaders across the country. While forecasts of a slowdown in the U.S. economy temper expectations for gaming in the medium term, our industry is well-positioned to weather any potential headwinds."
The gaming industry's outlook takes into account executive sentiment, casino visitation statistics, gaming revenues, and economic indicators to analyze the current and future state of the sector. Two indices are employed—one for current conditions and another for future expectations. The current index stands at 106.0, confirming that the gaming sector experienced a significant economic surge in the first quarter of 2023. However, over the past three months, the future conditions index has dropped to 97.1, indicating a potential decline in economic activity over the next six months. One contributing factor is a mild recession in the U.S. economy anticipated in the latter half of the year, as projected by Oxford Economics.
Many operators expressed optimism regarding various segments of the gaming business. Twenty-one percent of respondents expect an increase in capital investments, while 14% foresee a rise in the number of gaming devices in operation. Equipment manufacturers are even more positive, with none expecting a slowdown in sales.
Among the sector's primary concerns, issues such as credit availability and supply chain delays are no longer prominent. However, 31% of respondents remain wary of geopolitical risks.
Notably, the Swedish regulator has issued B2B licenses to providers Blueprint Gaming and Wazdan.
