At the 2025 Global Gaming Expo on Monday, industry leaders discussed ways for casinos to connect with people aged 21 to 40 by combining digital and in-person experiences. Justin Carter, Senior VP of Regional Operations at Penn Entertainment, moderated the panel, “Engaging a Younger Demographic Online and in Person.”
Hillary McAfee, host of the MaxBet Podcast, noted that younger people are spending more time online than ever before. Millennials spend about four hours a day online, while Gen Z averages around seven. She believes casinos need to combine online and in-person experiences, focusing on authenticity and new ideas and building community in order to attract this audience.
Jennifer Weissman, Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer at Penn Entertainment, echoed that sentiment. She stated that younger generations value authenticity and opportunities for personal and professional growth, stressing that casinos should create experiences that reflect these values, not just focus on gaming.
The panelists agreed that traditional loyalty programs aren’t enough to engage this younger audience. They suggested focusing on community and interactive experiences. Examples included gamification, pop-up events, and working with local creators to make authentic content. They all agreed that entertainment should be the priority over gaming.
Michelle Dunham, VP of Legal Affairs and General Counsel at Four Winds Casino and Resort, spoke about legal and compliance issues. She said it’s important to involve the legal team early in the creative process, so marketing and operations stay compliant, but can still be innovative. One example is the use of phones in casinos. For the younger generation, taking pictures and posting to social media is a norm that many casinos are still trying to navigate. But as McAfee reminded, those social posts (of someone hitting a jackpot, for example) are authentic user-generated content that markets the property in a way that builds trust and is absolutely free.
Overall, the conversation highlighted that casinos need to bring in and keep younger customers by offering a complete experience that follows the rules, but is also creative and mixes new technology with real face-to-face interaction.
