The newly rebranded Indian Gaming Association recorded the largest attendance at its tradeshow and conference outside of Las Vegas with an estimated 6,500 people attending the four-day event in Anaheim.
That number surpassed the pre-show estimates of more than 5,000, but fell short of the 7,000 who attended the trade show in Las Vegas last July and 8,000-9,000 attendees in Las Vegas in 2018.
“The message is Indian gaming is back,” said Ernie Stevens, chairman of the IGA. “The message we like to emphasize is how we persevered. We expected our industry to be down 50%-plus when our doors closed (at the start of the pandemic in March 2020). Nobody was even driving down the highway. I kept thinking about that lonely highway. We’re still trying to fix something we built over 30 years ago. To see us all together is a clear reflection that we stood our ground, fought COVID-19, and we’re winning that battle. That’s the warmth I feel at this conference.”
Stevens told the audience, however, that COVID-19 hasn’t gone away and he still keeps his mask handy. The conference required attendees to either be vaccinated or test negative onsite at the Anaheim Convention Center at their own expense.
“We’re coming out of this thing if we’re careful and don’t get careless,” Stevens said. “We’ve been able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. These business partners have created an atmosphere where we can get to the next level.”
Sponsorships for the convention and the return on investment that goes back to IGA are higher than normal. That helps the association’s budget, which has been impacted by the pandemic, Stevens said.
CDC Gaming Reports
Conference Chairman Victor Rocha said they want people to know that tribal gaming and business are back after a “tough two years.” He also wants people to walk away from the conference knowing that tribal gaming is still a a great business to be in going forward.
“People feel this is a great place to do transactions and make deals, so we really try to create this pro-business environment,” Rocha said. “That’s really starting to pay off.”
Rocha called the attendance “phenomenal.” He said no one expected as large a crowd as they had when he walked onto the floor of the trade show Thursday.
“We were hoping, but when I walked in the door, I was blown away,” Rocha said. “I had no idea it was going to be this big and this busy, especially after what everyone in the industry has been through. I have been walking around and vendors seem to be very happy. Everyone I talked to had tons of meetings and were closing deals.”
Gaming industry consultant Gene Johnson, vice president of Victor Strategies, said it was a productive show for vendors and those attending educational sessions.
“It’s becoming much more about the business of gaming and emerging verticals and I would cite the educational content on Tuesday when we did a half-day deep drive on the business of sports betting and 150 to 200 people attended. They appear to be mid-level managers on staff in tribal casinos educating themselves on what’s coming down the pike for tribal gaming.”
Johnson said the Anaheim show surpassed the Las Vegas event last July, even if it didn’t beat the Vegas event in attendance.
“The summer show was well attended, but the pandemic effects were still there,” Johnson said. “This show seems to have transcended the pandemic and speaks well of the future of gaming shows like G2E (the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas in October). We’re learning to live with COVID-19. It’s an endemic rather than a pandemic.”
The next IGA conference and tradeshow will be held March 27-30, 2023, in San Diego.
