AGEM March 2026 Recap
• The AGEM March gathering served as the 2026 Annual Meeting. As part of this, the Board of Directors for 2026-27 was elected as follows: Tom Jingoli (Konami) as treasurer, Randy Gilbert (Table Trac), as secretary, with Elaine Hodgson (Incredible Technologies), Lauralyn Sandoval (Aristocrat), Phil O’Shaughnessy (IGT) and Steve DiMasi (Light & Wonder) as the remainder of the board. All the aforementioned will serve a one-year term from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Chairman Ryan Comstock (Ainsworth) is currently serving a two-year term that expires March 31, 2027. As part of the new slate, the board also approved non-voting/ex-officio Cassie Stratford (Boyd Gaming Corporation) representing Global Gaming Women and Bob Parente (Light & Wonder), assistant treasurer (past AGEM chair). Both will also serve a one-year term.
• Three applications for Associate membership were considered at the March meeting: US Bank, Sun-Fly USA, Inc., and Adostics, Inc. All were approved unanimously and welcomed as Associate members to AGEM.
• The renewal process for FY 2027 membership dues will commence shortly, and the board confirmed that membership dues will remain the same as 2025 with no increase planned for the FY 2026 term.
• Margaret Dunn, portfolio director, WorldGaming Week, joined by Managing Director Stuart Hunter, delivered a post‑show update on ICE 2026. The event achieved a record 62,988 visitors (+5 percent vs. 2025) with strong exhibitor growth of 12.5 percent and attendees from 179 countries, underscoring its global reach. Significant increases were noted from the U.S., LatAm, and Africa (+13 percent), along with higher senior C‑level attendance. Feedback was highly positive, with 85 percent of visitors calling ICE a must‑attend event and 90 percent of exhibitors already committed for 2027. For 2027, WorldGaming plans expansion into Hall 7, with a strategic focus on non‑endemic global tech brands, fintech specialists, and deeper collaboration with institutional partners to support regulated‑market growth.
• Over recent months, AGEM has been advancing a comprehensive refresh of its logo and website to better align with the organization’s strategic vision. During the March meeting, Allison McCoy unveiled the new logo, ahead of its official debut at the upcoming IGA conference. She also provided a preview of the redesigned website, scheduled to launch in April, which will feature a dedicated members‑only area offering access to agendas, reports and educational resources.
Forthcoming Events
• The 26th Annual AGEM-AGA Golf Classic Presented by JCM Benefiting the International Center for Responsible Gaming will take place on May 6 at the SouthShore Country Club in Las Vegas. This event remains a major AGEM fundraiser supporting the ICRG in its research and education on gambling disorder, which has seen total funds raised of over $3 million to date. Several participation spots are still available and can be obtained through the JCM marketing team or by contacting [email protected].
• IGA 2026 will take place in the San Diego Convention Center March 31-April 2. AGEM and GGW will be co-hosting a Happy Hour Event on March 31, at the 207 Bar at Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego. If members are interested in attending, please contact Allison McCoy to register.
• The East Coast Gaming Congress will be held April 14-15, at the Hard Rock Atlantic City. AGEM will be honored with the ECGC Lifetime Achievement Award.
• From April 29 to May 1, 2026, the IMGL Spring Conference will take place at The Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia.
Recent Events
• The EKG Slot Awards Show, produced by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG), was recently held at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. AGEM proudly sponsored and attended the event, where President & CEO Daron Dorsey (pictured with Pavilion Payment’s Kaleigh Thompson, VP of business development, and Alyssa Beaver, SVP sales) presented the award for Top Performing New Core Video Game. This premier annual event celebrates outstanding achievements in slot game development within the casino gaming industry.
• The 2026 American Heart Association’s Las Vegas Go Red for Women Luncheon was held recently at the Canyon Gate Country Club, bringing together community members to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death for women. AGEM is a proud sponsor of this impactful event, which featured inspiring personal stories, insightful discussions on cardiovascular health, and a vibrant “sea of red” to promote heart‑health education and prevention.
AGEM Index
The AGEM Index fell by 194.49 points to 1,621.5 in February 2026, a 10.7 percent decrease from the prior month. Compared to one year ago, the index declined by 8.9 percent, or 159.12 points. During the latest month, eight of the nine AGEM Index companies reported stock price decreases, which resulted in eight negative contributions and one positive contribution to the index. The largest negative contributor to the monthly index was Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), whose 10.2 percent decrease in stock price led to a 71.94-point loss to the index. Meanwhile, Konami Corp. (TYO: 9766) saw its stock price decrease by 7.3 percent, leading to a 53.04-point decrease for the index. The lone positive contributor to the index was Ainsworth Game Technology (ASX: AGI), whose 1.4 percent increase in stock price resulted in a 0.12-point gain to the AGEM Index. In February, two of the three major U.S. stock indices decreased from the prior month. The NASDAQ fell by 3.4 percent over the month, while the S&P 500 experienced a 0.9 percent loss. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.2 percent from the prior month.
