AGEM February 2026 Recap
• The AGEM February monthly meeting discussed legislative updates regarding gaming in various U.S. states since 2026 legislature sessions began. AGEM President and CEO Daron Dorsey let the membership know that AGEM is monitoring the situation in those jurisdictions and supporting regulated market opportunities for its members, so long as there is legislative support and appropriate oversight, licensing and opportunity for our existing members. AGEM also continues to monitor Brazil’s newly authorized legal market and to advocate for a registration-based framework for suppliers.
• AGEM members received a presentation from Brian Sullivan of Clarion Events U.S. about the upcoming Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Conference in San Diego March 30-April 2. The trade show exhibition will run on Wednesday and Thursday, and various activities including a golf tournament, conference sessions and a reception that will take place during the week starting on Monday. Brian Sullivan also updated the membership that David Bean has been named the new chairman of IGA following the passing of Chairman Ernie Stephens, and he mentioned that a vice chairman election will take place during the conference.
• Daron Dorsey reported on AGEM’s successful presence at ICE 2026, where the association hosted a cocktail reception attended by 40-42 members and colleagues. AGEM also held its first in-person meetings with various member representatives of AGEM’s newly formed Europe Committee to address economic, workforce and commercial issues specific to the EU region, with plans for a formal gathering by mid-year 2026. Dorsey also thanked Tracy Cohen, AGEM’s director of Europe, for her efforts in helping organize and lead activities for the AGEM Europe Committee.
• AGEM members were reminded of the AI Industry Survey, conducted by Kasra Ghaharian, director of research at the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in partnership with KPMG. This important survey aims to benchmark AI adoption, opportunities, challenges and governance across the global gambling sector. It includes a 15-minute survey, and participating companies will receive a private report comparing their AI maturity to industry averages, with AGEM members also getting a collective summary. All responses are confidential, ethically approved and reported in aggregate, with data collection expected to finish by March and results shared by June. AGEM members were encouraged to participate to help define AI’s role in gaming.
Forthcoming Events
• AGEM will be hosting a webinar titled “Addressing the Need for Community & Public Engagement in Today’s Gambling World.” It will be held March 18 during Problem Gambling Awareness Month, which was established and is led by the National Council on Problem Gambling.
• AGEM will again partner with Global Gaming Women to host a meet-up during the Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Conference at the 207 Bar at Hard Rock, San Diego, on March 31. Please contact Allison McCoy for more information.
• The next monthly AGEM meeting will be on March 10 at 8:30 a.m. PT. This will be AGEM’s Annual Membership Meeting and will be a hybrid meeting hosted in person by Konami Gaming in its Las Vegas headquarters, as well as virtually via Zoom.
Recent Events
Most of January was taken up with events in and around the ICE show. AGEM was represented in Barcelona by President and CEO Daron Dorsey and Director of Europe Tracy Cohen.
AGEM’s presence within the Associations Assembly provided an excellent base for meeting members and associates, as well as convenient access to all areas of the show. The week began with an informal gathering of the Europe Committee, followed by the AGEM Drinks Reception at the beautiful rooftop Azimuth Bar, which was well attended and enjoyed by everyone.
Throughout the week, Dorsey and Cohen met with numerous AGEM members and participated in several outstanding events. Special thanks go to our colleagues at Clarion and the ECA for hosting memorable occasions, including the World Gaming Gala, the McLaren Velocity event and the ECA CEO late lunch at the stunning Altamar Restaurant atop the historic Torre de San Sebastián.
AGEM Index
The AGEM Index fell by 15.69 points to 1,815.99 in January 2026, a 0.9 percent decrease from the prior month. Compared to one year ago, the index rose 11.4 percent, or 185.99 points. During the latest month, six of the 10 AGEM Index companies reported stock price decreases, which resulted in six negative contributions and four positive contributions to the index. The largest negative contributor to the monthly index was Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), whose 7.9 percent decrease in stock price led to a 53.41-point loss to the index. Meanwhile, Agilysys (NASDAQ: AGYS) saw its stock price decrease by 27 percent, leading to a 20.53-point decrease for the index. The largest positive contributor to the index was Konami Corp. (TYO: 9766), whose 5.3 percent increase in stock price resulted in a 40.64-point gain to the AGEM Index. In January, all three major U.S. stock indices increased from the prior month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 1.7 percent over the month, while the S&P 500 experienced a 1.4 percent gain. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ rose by 0.9 percent from the prior month.
