In conversations with friends and acquaintances, has the topic of AI ever elicited an “it’s scary” response? It is a feeling expressed with ever-increasing frequency given the technological phenomenon of Artificial Intelligence is holding the world spellbound because the multitudes quite simply do not understand it or its impact.

The 19th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking set for this month has added new keynote and panel presentations spanning sports betting, artificial intelligence, regulatory oversight and risk in the entertainment industry.

Artificial intelligence has been around for decades, but its use has surged since the onset of ChatGPT. That growth is now reshaping the gaming industry, raising both big opportunities and new concerns about trust and player protection.

On this episode of Casino Reports’ weekly gaming-biz podcast, we welcome the UNLV International Gaming Institute’s Brett Abarbanel and Kasra Ghaharian for a discussion around their recently released report The State of AI in Gaming in 2026, what sectors of the industry are proactively adopting AI, and what sectors are lagging behind.

While over 80% of gaming companies use Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in some form, only one in five companies in the industry have roles in place to govern AI, according to a report released by the International Gaming Institute (IGI) of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

A survey commissioned by the UNLV International Gaming Institute AI Research Hub and KPMG has revealed the rapid adoption of AI in the industry as well as the focus of AI-related publications.

The gaming industry is closely exploring the use of AI, but regulators and operators don't seem to be on the same page.

Whether operators and regulators can close that gap may determine how far and how safely AI reshapes the future of gaming