Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI), one of the largest casino owners in the United States, has decided to join the National Association Against Internet Gambling (NAAiG), thereby intensifying opposition to the expansion of iGaming in the country. With 68 casinos dispersed over 20 states, GLPI lends weight to a coalition aiming to limit the liberalisation of online gambling, with the exception of sports betting. Therefore, this decision is significant for the gambling industry.
GLPI, founded in 2013 after it separated from Penn Entertainment, owns casinos but does not operate them directly. Instead, it leases its properties to operators who manage the on-site activities. The company’s portfolio includes iconic establishments such as the M Resort in Las Vegas, Ameristar Kansas City, and Tropicana Atlantic City. Because GLPI’s financial success depends heavily on the performance of physical casinos, it has a vested interest in limiting the expansion of iGaming.
How the NAAiG operates
The National Association Against Internet Gambling (NAAiG) emerged in the autumn of last year as an organised response from casino operators concerned about the advance of iGaming. Its mission is to ‘protect communities from the risks of online gambling by promoting responsible, in-person gambling,’ according to its representatives.
The NAAiG brings together major players in the sector, including Churchill Downs, Jack Entertainment, Peppermill Resorts, Monarch Casino Resort, and Foundation Gaming & Entertainment, among others. Mark Stewart, executive vice president and general counsel of The Cordish Companies, told the media that GLPI’s membership ‘underscores the growing consensus across the industry that the risks of iGaming are real and far-reaching.’ Stewart added that the expansion of online gambling threatens not only the viability of physical casinos but also jobs, tax revenues and local investment.
NAAiG members argue that iGaming encourages addiction, reduces tax revenues for state and local governments, and can lead to job cuts in the brick-and-mortar sector. The association’s stance contrasts with that of some large operators, such as Penn Entertainment, which views online gambling as a complementary tool that can drive the growth of physical casinos.
The impact of iGaming on the industry and the legislative debate
GLPI’s entry into the NAAiG coincides with key moments in the legislative agenda of several states. For example, Maine has just passed a law authorising iGaming, granting exclusive privileges to state tribes. GLPI owns the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway Bangor there, which Penn Entertainment manages. In addition, in Massachusetts, where GLPI also has interests through Plainridge Park Casino, a bill on online gambling is being debated.
GLPI has properties in other states where iGaming is under discussion or already legal, such as Ohio, Maryland, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia. In total, the company owns 19 casinos in states that are key to the online gambling debate.
How many anti-iGaming associations are there?
In the current US landscape, the NAAiG stands out as the leading national organisation dedicated to opposing iGaming. While there are local and state movements and coalitions that also express concern about the advance of online gambling, the NAAiG is the only national association with a formal structure and a membership composed of large operators in the land-based sector. No other national associations with an exclusive focus on combating iGaming have been identified, reinforcing the relevance and weight of the NAAiG in the regulatory and business debate within the gambling sector.
Therefore, GLPI’s membership in the NAAiG supports the viewpoint of individuals who think that iGaming presents serious threats to both the traditional gaming sector and the local communities where land-based casinos are located. The debate, far from being resolved, remains open, with increasingly influential players on both sides of the issue.
This article was first published in Spanish on 23 June 2025.
