The AGE | Australasian Gaming Expo 2026 has closed its doors with the strongest attendance growth in years, confirming the event’s position as the region’s premier event for the gaming, hospitality, and club industries.
Staged over three action-packed days from Tuesday, 11 August to Thursday, 13 August at ICC Sydney, AGE 2026 hosted 8,815 visits from attendees who came from across the country to enjoy the sights and sounds of the largest gaming expo in the southern hemisphere.
This year’s total AGE 2026 visit figures marked a significant increase of over 10 per cent on comparative AGE 2025 numbers, with unique visitors climbing nine per cent to 6,966.
In fact, the attendance figures for every one of the three-day AGE 2026 period, managed to best the previous year’s numbers, with the final Session Day on Thursday 13 August, seeing a massive 18.2% year-on-year increase, alongside gains of 6.1% on Tuesday 11 August, and 11.7% on Wednesday 12 August.
Attendance figures weren’t the only numbers to rise during AGE 2026, with the number of participants showcasing the latest in gaming technology, hospitality solutions, and venue services, growing by 1.8% to reach a total of 221 exhibitors, across 19,000sqm of expo show floorspace.
AGE 2026 Exhibitors ranged from major gaming technology providers including IGT, Konami, Light & Wonder, Aristocrat, Tabcorp, and Ainsworth, through to hospitality suppliers, compliance specialists, and venue services, covering every corner of the club, pub, and casino operating environment.
GTA | Gaming Technologies Association CEO Jinesh Patel, said that AGE 2026 attendance figures reflected the sustained confidence in the Australian and New Zealand gaming and hospitality industries.
“AGE 2026 has been our best-attended show in recent years, and the growth we saw across every single day tells you everything about where this industry is heading.
“Whether it’s the technology on the floor, or the calibre of the presentations and conversations happening at Seminar Central, this event continues to prove itself as the industry’s product and thought leader.
“We thank every exhibitor, delegate, and partner who made this year’s show such a success.”
AGE 2026 opened with Mr Patel and Aunty Norma Ingram formally welcoming attendees to the event.
Seminar Central, located for the very first time in the AGE’s history on the show floor, drew strong crowds across its three-day program of panels, presentations, and in-conversation sessions.
Highlights included the Global Gaming CEO Forecast panel, moderated by Dan Maloney – GM Policy, Strategy & Engagement | GTA, and featuring Siobhan Lane – CEO of Gaming | Light & Wonder, Hector Fernandez – CEO | IGT, and Craig Toner – CEO of Gaming | Aristocrat, who gave attendees a rare glimpse into their leadership journeys, the global product pipelines of their respective companies, and the economic outlook shaping the sector.
Economist, Stephen Walters –| Optimal Economics, delivered a national economic forecast and deep dive into the last 20 years of consumer gaming expenditure, while property expert Anna Porter | Suburbanite, explored how clubs and hotels can unlock value from underutilised landholdings.
The Seminar Central program also produced an experience that will long be remembered by those present, when AGE 2026 was graced with the presence of a true Australian hospitality icon, Mr Arthur Laundy AM – Executive Chairman | Laundy Hotels, as he granted an incredibly generous and wide-ranging interview to Dan Maloney, covering the extraordinary origin story of the Laundy empire, right through to the triumphant success it enjoys today.
The program also included the GGW | Global Gaming Women Breakfast and Leadership panel, a Regulation Round-up session presented with Addisons covering AML/CTF reform, EGM, and QCom compliance, an insightful and provocative panel session drilling down into the concept of the “social licence”, as well as panel discussions exploring issues regarding venue succession planning, and how to best manage and engage multi-generational venue teams.
The Seminar Central program also featured an Exhibitor Spotlight Session, which saw Andrew Fernbach – Lawyer and Founder | GOVLAW Lawyers Australia, further unpack the AML/CTF reforms now facing gaming venues.
AGE 2026 also recognised excellence on the exhibition floor with its annual AGE Exhibitor Stand Awards, which saw American Beverage Marketers take out Best Shell Scheme Stand, while RDM Pizza was awarded the Steve Cowan Memorial Award for Innovation, recognising its very popular standout contribution to the show floor.
The AGE will return to ICC Sydney from Tuesday 10 August to Thursday 12 August 2027, and we look forward to seeing you there!