The American Gaming Association estimates that nearly 600,000 unregulated gambling machines — so-called “gray market” games that resemble slot machines but aren’t subject to state government oversight — exist in the U.S., compared to about 800,000 regulated slot machines.
With that kind of volume, it’s no wonder that the contentious topic came up on several occasions at last week’s East Coast Gaming Congress in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen, whose casino hotel played host to the event, pointed to his temporary casino in Bristol, Virginia, that is scheduled to be replaced in July 2024 by a permanent $550 million facility with 750 guest rooms, almost 3,000 slot machines, and about 100 table games.
