TL;DR
Casino marketing in 2026 is moving away from mass promotions and toward deeply personalized experiences that connect emotionally and deliver value across channels. Loyalty is becoming mobile, traditional media is making a comeback, and AI is shifting from hype to helpful. Smart marketers will continue to focus on strategy alignment, data-backed reinvestment, and brand relevance, but perhaps with a twist.
As we start 2026, I’ve been asking the question I always ask this time of year: What’s actually changing? Not what we hope will change or what vendors are selling, but what operators, strategists, and CMOs are seeing in real time—on the floor, in the data, and in guest behavior.
Casino marketers are once again navigating an environment of shifting guest expectations, operational challenges, and constant pressure to deliver ROI across every department. But there’s also a powerful undercurrent of opportunity: the chance to stop chasing transactions and start creating meaning.
I reached out to leaders I trust: operators, vendors, strategists, and innovators—to understand what they’re seeing on the ground and where they believe the industry is headed. What emerged was a mix of bold predictions, hard-won insights, and strategic shifts already reshaping how we think about marketing, loyalty, and guest relationships.
It was a clear picture of where the industry is headed and what it will take to keep up.
Key Takeaways
- Mass giveaways are out. Create intentional, meaningful moments for your most valuable guests.
- Brand clarity matters. Align your internal teams around a promise your guests can feel.
- Don’t count out direct mail. Traditional channels, when well-targeted, will outperform in key segments.
- Use AI operationally. Let it support smarter offers, guest segmentation, and churn prediction.
- Go mobile-first. Loyalty and guest identity will live in your app, not your wallet.
- Everything is content. If it touches the guest, it should reflect your strategy.
Here’s what’s shaping 2026:
The Six Trends That Matter Most
1. AI Moves from Buzzword to Operational Reality
We’ve spent the last two years talking about AI. In 2026, we’ll start using it more strategically.
Andrew Kordek, Fractional CMO & Strategist, cuts through the hype: “It’s time to stop using AI solely for content creation and to leverage the data we have to create value for guests. This means moving beyond basic segmentation—VIP or lapsed—to predictive modeling that enables AI to analyze a player’s real-time behavior, calculate their immediate risk of churning or their potential to achieve the next loyalty tier, and trigger micro-targeted offers designed to re-engage that specific player.”
This isn’t about chatbots or image generators. It’s about using AI to get smarter about who’s about to leave, who’s ready to climb a tier, and which offer will move them—before your competitors do.
Mark Birtha, President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento, sees the hospitality parallel: “Recent tourism stats have shown that AI usage in travel planning has doubled over the past year. An even more telling trend is that 62% of travelers prefer AI-enabled companies—which is why major hospitality players, including Marriott, Airbnb and Kayak, are investing in the AI space as part of their booking platforms.”
In gaming, this means AI won’t just help understand guests—it will revolutionize analytics and free up bandwidth to tackle projects that have been on the wish list for years. Marketing is the tip of the iceberg. AI will enhance our ability to achieve similar results across the entire service and amenity landscape.
The gap between operators who use AI strategically and those who don’t will be measurable by year’s end.
2. “Mattering” Becomes Your Competitive Moat
Every property says it cares about its guests. In 2026, the properties that win will be the ones where guests actually feel it.
Chris Province calls this “mattering”—and he believes it’s the ONE trend that should shape the industry in 2026.
“What I’ve observed in 2025 is high-performing properties focusing their efforts and programming in a way that confirms to people that THEY MATTER. This idea goes beyond ‘relationship’ and strikes at how we curate experiences and create intentional moments for players and team members to connect in meaningful ways.”
Birtha offers a straightforward test for leadership teams:
Question 1: Does every player and team member who walks through our doors matter to the success of this property? (Typical response: violent agreement—”absolutely, yes”)
Question 2: Does every player and team member who walks through these doors KNOW that they matter to us? (This is where it falls apart.)
“Closing the gap between the value we know our players and team members bring to our enterprise every day—and them knowing how critical their perspectives and presence are to our collective success—is where our work will find the highest return.”
2026 looks to be a year of pressure on wallets, employment, and online competition. Cultivating sustainability and vibrancy for brands doesn’t require us to be more intelligent or more innovative. It calls us to be more human as we build communities of people who naturally want to live, work, and play together.
Want a quick jump-start? Replace “Hello, how are you?” with “What kind of day have you had?” or “What can I help with today?”
3. Events Replace Mass Promotions as the Growth Engine
On a personal note, QCI’s Andrew Cardno surprised me with this one. Not because it’s such an outlandish idea, but because I didn’t expect him to have this focus. It has been a common theme at the last few Casino Marketing Boot Camps.
The trend is this. The centerpiece event has replaced the mass-blast promotion. It’s not just a tactical shift—it’s strategic.
Cardno sees this everywhere: “One trend that will meaningfully shape casino marketing in 2026 is the rise of events as a primary growth engine. We’re seeing events move from being ‘nice-to-have’ marketing tactics to becoming core demand drivers. Nearly every operator is leaning into events right now because they work—they create urgency, extend length of stay, increase cross-property spend, and activate customers who are otherwise hard to motivate through traditional offer mechanics.”
What’s different this time is the scale and intent. Events now fully leverage the decades-long investment in integrated resort infrastructure: entertainment venues, food, hotels, retail, and experiential spaces—and convert those sunk costs into measurable, repeatable revenue.
This shifts marketing from transactional reinvestment to experience-led loyalty, changing how databases are segmented, how reinvestment is allocated, and how success is measured.
As Cardno puts it: “I was shocked: We have customers where events are now considered more important than marketing free play for some areas of their business!”
In short, events are no longer an add-on. They’re becoming the organizing principle for how modern resorts drive visitation and engagement.
As my fellow Boot Camp coaches and I see it, events allow us to create experiences our most valuable guests want to attend and return to. Additionally, these memory-making moments become the stories guests wish to share.
4. Value-Driven Marketing Makes a Comeback
Guests are calculating how far their wallet stretches before they even walk through your doors. If the math doesn’t work, they’re not coming.
Luigi Mastropietro (Everi) sees this unfolding in real time: “In 2026, casino marketers must confront the rising tide of consumer skepticism about perceived value. With the economy pressuring disposable income and guests feeling nickel-and-dimed—from $16 water bottles to bloated resort fees—affordability is becoming a critical decision driver.”
Consumers are bargain hunting more than ever, and they’re doing it online before they arrive. Las Vegas locals are responding to aggressive value campaigns: $1 beers, $3 shots, $1.50 shrimp cocktails. Those price points, strategically promoted on digital billboards and property signage, signal value before the experience even begins.
“For regional operators, the lesson is clear: value marketing isn’t just a Vegas play. While you might not be charging $16 for a bottle of water, your guests are calculating. This shift demands that we re-examine our pricing, offers, and the experience-to-cost ratio across the board. It’s not just about the floor anymore. It’s about delivering perceived value from every angle.”
In an era of economic uncertainty, operators who signal affordability and deliver on it will gain ground.
5. VIP Experience Will Separate Winners from Losers
The gaming landscape is more crowded than ever: new casinos, expanding online sports betting markets, and online futures betting. Add continued economic uncertainty and mixed messages from the government, and you have a perfect storm of competition and constraint.
Cache Creek Vice President of Marketing John Meacham sees the strategic response clearly: “The guest experience, especially for VIP customers, will continue to be the differentiator between growth and decline. These customers will be less affected by uncertainty and affordability issues and will support those businesses that cater to their wants.”
In other words, when the market gets noisy and wallets tighten, the properties that win will be those that make their high-worth players feel indispensable. The mass market may contract, but VIP loyalty (when done correctly) compounds.
6. Physical Beats Digital in the Trust Economy
In a world of deepfakes, bots, and algorithmic noise, tangible trust signals are making a comeback.
Marketing Millennials founder Daniel Murray frames it perfectly: “High-end print, physical mail, and ‘dark social’ (private Slack/Discord groups) are the new premium. In a world of digital deepfakes, if I can touch it or it’s recommended in a private group, I trust it. Digital is easy to fake. Physical materials and private recommendations still carry weight.”
This has significant implications for casino marketing. While everyone else doubles down on paid social and programmatic display, smart operators are quietly winning with direct mail, radio, and OTT—channels their competitors have abandoned.
It’s not nostalgia. It’s a strategy. When your high-value Boomer guest receives a beautifully designed mailer with a personal note from their host, it cuts through in a way 10 Facebook ads never will.
Murray also calls out what’s OUT: “Surface-level personalization. ‘Hey [First Name]’ emails are DONE. Real personalization means knowing your audience’s pain points, not just their name. True personalization is sending someone an article because you know they’re struggling with retention. Using someone’s first name isn’t personalization. It’s lazy automation everyone sees through.”
Two Different Kinds of “Content” (And Why Both Matter)
I want to pause here because two contributors brought up “content”—but they mean very different things, and both are critical.
Content as Experience (Chris Province)
Chris Province reframes what content actually is in a casino context:
“The success of a brand is determined by the speed at which they can develop content—and in our world, content isn’t the stuff we put out on social media. Our content is about the programs we build that allow players to experience the essence of our brand. The speed at which we can create meaningful content forges the connectedness of our player/team member/brand ecosystem.”
In other words: Your content is what you DO: the events, programs, and experiences that embody your brand. Not what you post about it.
Daniel Murray also emphasizes that brand isn’t a department: “Brand isn’t the design team’s job. It’s everyone’s job. Your customer support team is brand. Your product team is brand. Your sales team is brand. Every touchpoint shapes how people perceive you. When you treat brand as something only marketing owns, you get inconsistent experiences that erode trust.”
Content as Storytelling (Jon Liebl)
Jon Liebl sees content as an authentic connection and rewarding permission: “2026 will be the year that content dictates marketing wins and successes. Time to be real, time to be authentic, and time to make the connection you have with your customers less transactional and more transparent. Your followers have given you the greatest gift they could possibly give you: permission. Permission to be marketed to, permission to be kept in the loop, and an expressed interest in what you have to say. Let’s reward them with more than just an offer or event announcement—reward them with content.”
He’s calling for interviews with key personnel, “what to do around town” guides, showcasing community give-back, celebrating wins, and taking people inside the decision-making process.
“A lot of marketers are pretty damn proud of themselves when it comes to great creative or a great media buy… but it’s long past time to put the same energy into the story and people who can elevate our outreach. Content is king. Look beyond the viral moments and social media trends that blow up for 72 hours and then vanish. Still, it should absolutely be part of that—but lead with content. Put as much emphasis, effort, and budget into the people, processes, and planning that creates the customer experience. Your audience wants that connection, and it will only enhance the effectiveness of what external marketing will do.”
Both are right. You need great programs AND great storytelling about them. One without the other is incomplete.
Supporting Trends: Insights from Chalkline’s Recent Webinar
Beyond these six core trends, Chalkline Sports’ recent “Top 10 Gaming Industry Highlights and 3 Fearless Predictions for 2026” webinar highlighted a few other signals worth watching:
Mobile loyalty is finally here. Operators are shifting away from card reprints toward digital player cards and app-based enrollment. The loyalty experience of 2026 starts in the guest’s hand. Aristocrat’s Daniel Shaver predicts: “2026 is going to be the year that gaming turns around and starts transitioning to a digital player card.”
Daniel Kustelski, CEO of Chalkline Sports, emphasizes that mobile isn’t just a convenience—it’s a strategic necessity: “Guests want seamless experiences that move with them—whether it’s rewards, offers, or sports picks. Mobile is where that happens.” Chalkline’s work in bridging marketing and mobile activation demonstrates how operators can simultaneously increase acquisition and loyalty through pre-arrival engagement and app-based interactions.
Tribal operators are leading digital innovation. From Class II mobile on-premise to unified wallets, tribal gaming is poised to leap ahead, compelling the rest of the industry to catch up. Nicole Scott notes: “A Tribal operator will build on-premise and create a true omni-channel experience—including a single wallet, unified loyalty, and seamless integration of retail and digital play.”
My Three Predictions
Building on what I’m hearing from the field, here’s where I’m putting my bets for 2026:
1. Operators Will Shift Reinvestment from Mass to Meaningful
Operators still pour massive budgets into one-size-fits-all promotions with diminishing returns. The bold move in 2026? Pulling back on frequency-driven mass offers and doubling down on highly personalized, delightful moments that can’t be commoditized.
My take: Smart operators will allocate more of their reinvestment budget to personalized experiences—birthday weekends, tier-climber exclusives, host-led magic—rather than blanket free play.
The payoff? Stronger emotional loyalty from mid-to-high-worth players seeking recognition, not just rewards. Mass promotions are no longer enough. Casino marketers are moving away from quantity-based reinvestment models toward intentional, memorable experiences, especially for hosted and high-value players.
2. Loyalty Evolves from Earn-and-Burn to Emotional Value
The earn-and-burn model has been the backbone of casino loyalty for decades. Walking away from it—or even reimagining it—requires courage and alignment across the organization.
My take: In 2026, casino loyalty will no longer be defined solely by points and tiers. Today’s customers expect programs that go beyond transactional rewards. They want recognition, relevance, and resonance.
Savvy marketers are moving away from bloated earn-and-burn systems and exploring how experience-based loyalty can drive deeper engagement. Whether that’s personalized room offers for mid-worth guests, flexible reward options, or surprise-and-delight moments for hosted players, the future is about building emotional equity, not just comps.
Players want to feel known and valued. In 2026, loyalty will mean personalized experiences that can’t be replicated elsewhere.
3. Brand Clarity Becomes a Competitive Necessity
In an industry where most properties offer similar services, clarifying who you are and why you matter requires introspection, alignment, and the courage to say no to what doesn’t fit.
My take: As market noise intensifies and customers become more selective about entertainment spending, casinos must answer: Why us?
2026 will reward operators who dig into their brand ladder and clarify their unique market promise. That means developing a clear voice, aligning messaging across departments, and delivering consistently—from mass promotions to VIP events.
This isn’t about rebranding. It’s about aligning teams around a meaningful promise. As Chris Province puts it: “Casinos that create ‘mattering’—for both guests and team members—will outperform in 2026.”
Internal clarity drives consistent decision-making, more innovative promotions, and more focused storytelling. The most successful marketers will be those who re-evaluate their positioning to remain relevant to today’s evolving casino customer.
Lagniappe: Traditional Media Will Outperform Digital for Key Segments
So many marketers have walked away from print, broadcast, and even billboards in favor of digital-first (and often digital-only) strategies. But what if the real opportunity lies in rebalancing the mix—and putting traditional media back into play, smarter?
My take: Regional casinos can’t always outspend competitors digitally—but they can dominate traditional channels when competitors have abandoned them.
In 2026, tightly targeted direct mail, OTT, and radio, especially when personalized, will make a strong comeback among Boomers and high-frequency, high-worth guests who are underwhelmed by email and SMS.
My boldest call: Smartly segmented, creatively executed direct mail will outperform paid social in ROAS among Boomers, high-worth players, and lapsed segments.
It may not be flashy, but it’s trusted, measurable, and tangible. In a noisy world, tangibility matters.
What This Means for You
Which of these trends are you already seeing? Which will require courage, alignment, or budget to lean into?
2026 is shaping up to be a year in which operators who commit to meaning over mass, experience over transaction, and clarity over noise will build the kind of loyalty that compounds.
The leaders I spoke with aren’t guessing. They’re already moving. The question is: will you lead this shift, or will you catch up to it?
FAQs
Q: I’m working with a small team and limited budget. Which trend should I start with?
Focus on aligning your brand and upgrading one event into a more memorable, loyalty-driving experience. Start small but intentional.
Q: What’s the biggest risk if I don’t adapt to these trends?
Falling behind in emotional loyalty, digital engagement, and operational efficiency. The cost isn’t just ROI—it’s relevance.
Q: How do I pitch this to my GM or stakeholders?
Highlight the trends with measurable ROI (direct mail performance, event-driven revenue, churn prevention) and frame them as guest-driven strategy shifts.
Q: What if our players aren’t digital-first?
That’s exactly why traditional media and branded print matter. Meet your audience where they are—but do it with updated strategy and creative.
Recent Comments