STATESIDE
Back East, New York State has sued Kalshi in its state Supreme Court, charging Kalshi is “running an illegal gambling operation.” Last year, Christie raised red fl ags to gaming operators and has never wavered from that opinion. He was right, so we’ll see how the industry continues to fi ght back.
Now to issue number two, which I could not have predicted years ago. Gaming and hospitality locations fi nd themselves dealing with “threats” to their dining and beverage options nationwide. A key question is whether this is a fad or a permanent trend.
The “times they are a-changing” in food delivery and sales. Enter GLP-1 weight loss medications, or the “magic” injection or pill, sweeping America.
Developed in 2005 for diabetic patients, GLP-1 drugs increase insulin production and reduce blood sugar levels. Now, these drugs are so mainstream, they have become a $50 billion-plus industry. Some analysts estimate $100 billion in sales by 2030. People of all ages have jumped on the bandwagon.
Food and drink have always been central to successful hospitality operations on cruise ships, hotels and all-inclusive resorts like in the Caribbean and New York State’s Catskills Mountains.
Even Titanic’s three classes ate well, as discovered on intact menu copies. They detailed amazing amounts of food brought onboard before sailing.
Casinos realized decades ago that visitors patronized restaurants for all appetites and budgets. They were often incentivized by player rankings and promotions rewards. How many times have customers boasted that “comps” paid for their meals at a casino dining outlet? They equate what they’ve spent either gambling or on other activities with how much they can eat.
The buffet has reigned supreme for decades. Bus trips often offered transportation and casino coupons, redeemable at the property’s plentiful buffet.
While weight loss is a major victory to battling obesity and illness, its fi nancial repercussions are already evident.
Some scientists estimate that pharmaceutical
fi rms have more than 80 drugs in medical trials, slowing stomach emptying and blunting hunger triggers in the brain.
A 2025 Gallup survey revealed 12.4 percent of respondents used a GLP-1 drug, almost double the 5.8 percent in 2024. The obesity rate dropped from 39.9 percent to 37 percent between 2022 and 2025. One in eight American adults use GLP-1 medications. Freight rate and market data platform Sonar
quantifi ed the reduced food demand, citing decreased food deliveries of 850,000 to a million fewer truckloads. It could total as much as 2.5 million to three million fewer truckloads annually by 2031. Gaming companies better fi nd a solution. They have long promoted non-gaming amenities- like multiple dining venues- as being as important or more so, to the gaming fl oors. Half-empty eateries, or those with customers spending less on food, will face long-term repercussions.
Sharon Harris
Sharon has worked in the casino and coin- operated amusement industries since the 1980s. In the early 1990s, Sharon transferred her public relations and journalism skills to the gaming industry. She wrote her fi rst feature for Casino International predecessor EUROSLOT magazine in 1994.
As Associate Editor, North America for Casino International, Sharon has chronicled the explosive growth of U.S. gaming and reported on its most signifi cant changes. She has traveled across America to participate in dozens of industry events and has interviewed
hundreds of gaming operators,
executives and suppliers.
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