Gen Z: Scott Butera

Before joining MGM Resorts International last June, Scott Butera was an investment banker, a C-level casino executive and commissioner of the Arena Football League. His current role puts him in charge of MGM’s state-by-state sports betting expansion.

— As told to Bill King

As that next generation [turns 21 and is able to bet legally], we’re expecting to see some of the same things we’ve seen with millennials. They’re much less into traditional things. They’re not so interested in a regular sportsbook. They’re interacting with each other much more through their devices than face-to-face or over the phone. So that’s what they want when it comes to gaming: high-action, high-stimulus interactive experiences that are digitally oriented. And they want to be able to parse things in a way that they get to enjoy the things they like and not have to bother with things they don’t like.

So just like they’re less likely to watch a whole game, they’ll be less inclined to bet on a whole game. They’re going to be betting on parts of multiple games at once and they’re going to want to tie everything into a social entertainment experience. They’re used to “Fortnite,” and they’re going to want us to bring that sort of gamification to sports betting.

In-play [wagering with odds that change as a game goes along] is absolutely the future and what that generation wants. With in-play, you’re not just watching, you’re playing. It’s going to be crucial to have in-play for that [Gen Z] customer. 

But I don’t think it’s enough. I really think that social gaming and sports betting are going to come together through in-play. Combining social and sports betting is going to be the kind of experience they demand.

As sports gambling becomes more popular, casinos will cash in.getty images