The 19th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking will take place May 26-28 at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Keynote and panel presentations will span sports betting, artificial intelligence, regulatory oversight, and risk in the entertainment industry.
The event will also feature a keynote session titled “Candid Conversations: Sports Betting,” featuring sports betting experts Chad Millman, co-founder of The Action Network, and ESPN betting analyst Pamela Maldonado. Millman and Maldonado will examine trends shaping the sports betting landscape, including market behavior and the intersection of media, data and wagering insights.
“The conference continues to evolve alongside the gambling and risk-taking ecosystem, bringing together leading voices to explore not only where each discipline is today, but where it is headed,” said Dr. Brett Abarbanel, executive director of International Gaming Institute at UNLV. “This year reflects a strong convergence of interdisciplinary research and industry expertise that aims to spark new ideas among attendees.”
“Taste of G2E: Signals from the Frontier: How Early-Stage Founders Are Building Gaming’s Next Five Years,” which will offer a look at content and themes featured at the Global Gaming Expo. Benson Bleier of Regen and Rebecca Martin of Spin Pass, with moderator Ryan Rubio of Zero Labs and Quinton Singleton of nVenue, will examine how early-stage founders are reshaping gaming through AI gamification and behavioral design.
The session will explore how convergence between gaming and fintech is changing operator and consumer relationships and what new risks and opportunities may emerge for the industry.
“The Three Gs: Gamification, Gamblification, & Golf” will discuss golf’s evolution beyond the traditional course experience. A panel of industry leaders will explore the rise of off-course venues, skill-based technology platforms, gamification, and the growing integration of sports betting into the game. Speakers Christopher Cain of UNLV, Sameer Gupta of Evenplay, Lori Kalani of DraftKings, and Quinton Singleton of nVenue will examione how innovation is reshaping golf’s commercial and cultural landscape for operators, investors and fans.
A keynote address is “Candid Conversations: Sports Betting.” Millman and Maldonado will take the stage for a candid conversation on sports betting, spotlighting honest dialogue between industry leaders.
During the “Industry Index,” Melissa Swinehart, research assistant of UNLV IGI, and Rick Arpin of KPMG will present findings from the KPMG “State of AI in Gaming 2026” report. Based on a survey of 83 gambling companies, it discusses implications for operators and suppliers.
In “Regulatory Pulse,” Cesar Lozoya Martinez, research assistant of UNLV IGI, and Zachary Birnbaum of VIXIO will present findings from a global-regulator survey and examine AI-governance gaps and emerging oversight priorities. Afterward, Simo Dragicevic of UNLV IGI will moderate a panel of regulatory experts to discuss the survey results.
In “Research & Advancements,” Melissa Swinehart, Antonio Le, and Samantha Wells of the UNLV International Gaming Institute research team will present findings on AI-related academic publications, patent filings, and key themes from industry conferences. Moderated by Piyush Puranik of UNLV IGI, the session also features Ryan Rubio of Zero Labs and Simo Dragicevic of UNLV IGI in a discussion on startups, innovation, and media narratives shaping AI in gaming.
“The Workshop” will be an interactive closing session on the State of AI in Gaming track that fosters collaboration and candid discussion across industry, regulation, and research. Participants will rotate through themed tables to engage with peers and experts, exchanging ideas, challenging perspectives and surfacing practical takeaways on the evolving role of AI in gambling. Tables will be led by Rick Arpin of KPMG, Simo Dragicevic of UNLV International Gaming Institute, and Kasra Ghaharian of UNLV International Gaming Institute, with Bronwen Gregg of Insight Global serving as the host.
On the final day of the conference will b a keynote on “Risk Taking in Arts & Entertainment,” featuring Jeanne Elfant Festa, co-president of White Horse Pictures, and Myron Martin, president and CEO of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. This discussion explores how risk-taking shapes creative industries including film, television and live production. The conversation is moderated by Alan Feldman, director of strategic initiatives at UNLV International Gaming Institute.
Founded in 1974 at the University of Nevada Reno by Dr. Bill Eadington, the conference has grown into the largest and longest-running event of its kind, continuing to evolve alongside advancements in research, technology, and policy. Held every three years, it showcases high-impact research and education on risk-taking. The 2023 conference drew several hundred attendees from more than two dozen countries covering topics from economics and public policy to social sciences, mathematics and psychology.
To register and for more information, go to the website.
