Will the robots takeover casinos?
With AI seemingly taking over the world, how is it having an effect on the casino industry? BonusFinder, a comparison site for online casinos, reveals factors that have chimed into play…
Post-COVID 19 pandemic there have been notable changes to the casino floors, particularly when it comes to the presence of dealers – or lack thereof. The Las Vegas casinos have been struggling the last few years to catch up to pre-COVID 19 revenue levels.
In fact, back in February 2025, the Fontainebleau laid off 60 table game staff members to improve its profits – and it looks as though other casinos are following suit.
There are many factors that come into play with regards to the revenue slip across Vegas casinos though, like: the decrease in footfall, the increase in hotel prices, the decrease in hotels being occupied, alongside the decrease in spend at the casinos – all having a direct effect on the need to replace real croupiers with AI.
The oldest casino in Vegas replaces all dealers with ETGs
The Golden Gate Casino in Las Vegas was established back in 1906, making it the oldest casino on The Strip. Recently, the casino announced that it would be replacing all human dealers with electronic table games (ETGs) – as prices soar and the ‘Trump Slump’ continues to drive visitors away.
Part of the ‘Trump Slump’ is the President banning or restricting tourists from 19 countries from visiting the US. Canadians have also boycotted the current US President by refusing to travel to the US – which has had an impact on the casino industry.
Bloomberg reported that the biggest drop in foreign arrivals, by air, into the US dropped by 10% in March, after Trump announced tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico. This could all well play a part in the casino’s decision to replace human dealers in an effort to replenish profits.
By mid-September 2025, Golden Gate Casino Owner, Derek Stevens expects most – if not all – live table games to be gone. This change follows a move made at Circa Casino & Resort (also owned by Stevens) where the second floor has operated without live dealers for over one year – and is thriving. Stevens stated the space “exploded in popularity”.
Despite this being fact, dealers from the casino floor are convinced that human dealers won’t be completely evaporated by AI…
An ex-croupier at the Golden Gate, David Noll, spoke to News 3 Las Vegas and stated why he doesn’t think computerized table games will fully take over human dealers: “It’s social. It’s interactive. It’s tactile. You can feel it. You can hear it. You can smell it. You hear the checks. You have a dealer that interacts with you in real-time and talks to you.”
Major casinos on The Strip see frequent declines
Some of the most notorious casinos on the Las Vegas Strip have seen constant declines in previous months, when compared to both month-over-month (MoM) and year-over-year (YoY) figures.
Caesars Entertainment’s revenue from Las Vegas dropped by 3.7% during Q2 (April-June). While MGM Resorts reported a nine-week decline in hotel bookings – starting from May – as well as YoY declines in bookings.
Poker expert and professional poker player, Henri Ojala commented: “Operational costs and the rise of RNG technology mean casinos can run more tables digitally with fewer staff. It’s an efficiency win for operators. I don’t expect the dealers to ever disappear entirely.
“There will always be gamblers who seek that human connection, whether it’s about trust/fairness about the games or simply the social experience that only a live dealer table can offer. Some players, especially the older generation, still go to casinos for the atmosphere and the face-to-face interaction.”
Global ETG market comparison projections by 2034
North America are the industry’s leaders when it comes to global ETG revenue share, taking up 38% of the market. However, other continents are now following suit and catching up… Despite being home to a wealth of casinos, and home to the Las Vegas Strip, Europe is on the heels of North America.
Currently, Europe is predicted to yield a CAGR of 6.2%, with growth hitting $1.5bn by 2034. Europe held a 31% stake in global ETG market share in 2024.
Meanwhile Asia-Pacific is projected to have a CAGR of 7%, with expected earnings to grow to $1.3bn by 2034. This region occupied 23% of the global ETG revenue share in 2024.
This means that Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America were responsible for 92% of the ETG market in 2024. But will we see North America increase its ETG usage following the decline in land-based casino interest? Only time will tell.
Why are people wanting more ETGs?
According to Reports & Data, the electronic table game (ETG) market is projected to grow at a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3% to $4.8bn by 2034. The expansion in ETGs is due to the lack of need for live dealers.
The data also shows that poker tables will see the largest uptick in ETGs. Meanwhile roulette is expected to be the fastest growing sector when it comes to replacing dealers with ETGs.
ETGs use random number generators to determine outcomes, so players may also feel like it’s less rigg-able, when going to the casino and playing an ETG vs one manned by a dealer. Equally this scenario could be reversed, with people feeling safer in the hands of a human dealer, instead of a computer generated one.
Drivers for growth in these segments are down to the adoption of cashless systems, enhanced security and fairness and the increase in interest in AI technology.
