Regional Gaming Continues Expansion As "Manisite" Moniker Proves Unclear

13 October 2026

The term "Manisite" has drawn attention as a new regional gambling hub, but the available evidence does not clearly identify it as a specific market or location.

Part of the confusion may stem from the widespread growth of gambling options in nearby locations in recent years. Analysts argue that rising demand for more convenient, lower-cost entertainment is driving expansion both in person and online. Operators are responding with a raft of new bricks-and-mortar casinos, digital platforms, and hybrid offerings to reach these players.

The American Gaming Association's Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker shows the growth of major expansion markets. Illinois saw a 22.7% increase, Virginia by 35.7%, and Nebraska by a 149.8% gain.

The AGA estimates also point to more traditional markets also growing. West Virginia showed a 24.4% increase, New Jersey a more modest 10.9%, and Maine up 10.4%.

Standing in contrast, recent data from the U.K. government shows more mixed results for the gambling sector's growth value added (GVA). In 2023, GVA dropped across most regions, with only London (2.5%) and Northern Ireland (1.6%) showing modest expansion compared to the year prior. Further, from 2019 to 2023 the U.K. saw a considerable drop in its total gambling GVA.

The U.K.'s 2022 regional data offers some signs of online gambling feast and famine however. The East, London and the South East, and the North West accounted for the largest local contributions to industry GVA.

But in markets like the U.S., casinos find themselves more active and most likely to grow in markets without stiff local competition. One 2022 study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond points out that new casino development most effectively spurs job growth in areas without existing gaming operators nearby. The Richmond Fed research also downplays the boost from increased tax revenue.

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Rather than a monolithic market, analysts view this as a general trend toward more convenient, near-home gambling. Research from marketing firm Hitwise indicated that early this year close to 65% of online gambling traffic came from within 50 miles of the casino property to which the player belonged. This is an increase of 12.5 percentage points from last year.

Again, this trend seems to be driven by consumers looking for easier, more affordable in-person experiences, as well as the growth of iGaming products that match the reach of online casinos. Hitwise's data shows that the number of online gambling promotions steadily increased with the volume of casinos within 50 miles of the consumer.

For their part, operators are launching new properties, expanding iGaming, and bundling the two together in casinos that leverage online-only opportunities and benefit from a nearby location for casino traffic. Online and digital products, such as hybrid indoor/on-site apps and card rooms, are expected to offer similar advantages. Anticipated future growth areas include the South and Northeast, even though these regions currently lack established online licenses.

Area-specific regulations and oversight may change to accommodate this growing consumer preference. Connected apps, e.g. mobile access to casino sites with geolocation, tightened identity verification for joining online-only tables, and location services to pull in local promotions, are required to secure compliance. Interactive and cross-platform tools such as augmented reality may help operators meet this demand, but will also need to comply with regulations as they evolve.

The '#Manisite' hashtag probably won't go away, encouraged by casino operators' thoughtful use of local keywords to drive online visibility, but as a whole it is more reflective of the larger trends shaping today's regional gaming growth. In the near term, labels aside, operators are keen to grow their revenues, while regulators are stretched to provide the required oversight.