For decades in India, slot machines have dominated casino revenues, while table games were losing prominence. However, forecasts about their decline have proven premature. At the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention 2026 held in San Diego, a roundtable of industry specialists analyzed the factors explaining the resilience of table games and the elements that are redefining their role within the modern casino.
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The panel was moderated by Nasr Sattar, executive vice president of solutions at NRT Technology Corp., and featured Matt Reback, president and CEO of Galaxy Gaming; Ari Mizrachi, senior vice president and head of North America business for Tangam Systems; and Jon Hanlin, president of global tables at Light & Wonder. The conclusions of the debate offer an updated snapshot of a segment that, far from stagnating, is finding new ways to adapt to a player who has changed their habits and expectations.
The tactile experience that screens cannot replace in India
One of the most persistent arguments in favor of table games has to do with something that no algorithm can offer: the physical experience of the game. Matt Reback was direct about it: «The gaming floor is the nerve center of a casino on a Friday or Saturday night. Players still seek that tactile sensation; they want that haptic experience with the chips, to feel them in their hands. They want to see the cards and touch them».
This sensory component, which differentiates table games from any digital or electronic format, remains a compelling reason for a segment of players to prefer sitting in front of a dealer rather than a screen.
Side bets, the bridge between the table and slots
Perhaps the most decisive factor in the recent sustainability of table games has been the widespread incorporation of side bets. These additional bets, which coexist with the main game, introduce a layer of volatility similar to that of slots and significantly increase the house hold percentage.
Electronic table games: from stadiums to individual format
Electronic table games (ETGs) occupy a unique place in the debate over the future of the gaming floor. Neither entirely slots nor entirely traditional tables, ETGs have found a stable niche representing approximately 2% of the total machines in the market, a proportion that has remained constant for two decades.
Hanlin described the current moment as a transition period for ETGs: «They have moved into stadiums; they have evolved in terms of their format and use. But I think electronic slot machines are now in a transition period, moving from the large stadium experience to what the industry calls standalone products or individual experiences».
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Among the most recent innovations in this segment, Hanlin presented Virtual Pit, a Light & Wonder product that recreates the hybrid stadium experience by allowing each player to receive their own deck while sharing the experience with others in real time, combining elements of online poker with the atmosphere of the live gaming floor.
However, Mizrachi warned that ETGs are not without limitations, especially in jurisdictions that classify them as slot machines.
Artificial intelligence as a tool for retention and analysis
Beyond game formats, the panel addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence in gaming floor management. Hanlin acknowledged that, historically, land-based casinos have not made the necessary investments to fully leverage the data generated on the floor. However, he anticipated that artificial intelligence could change that equation by reducing the costs of data processing and interpretation of data.
Reback was more specific about the potential of AI in the marketing and retention area: «AI is a machine that consumes data. The more data we can collect —whether it’s cameras, RFID or seat sensors— better. But the true value lies in pattern detection».
Table games as a long-term bet
The panel consensus was clear: table games are not a relic of the past, but an evolving segment that will continue to hold a relevant place in the casinos of the future. As Reback summarized: «Table games will always exist because there are people in this world who love to go out and converse. Those are the people who enjoy table games». In a sector dominated by technology and automation, that human dimension of gaming remains, paradoxically, one of its most difficult assets to replace.
