Omnichannel Casino Operator
How does Bally’s casino footprint compare to MGM Resorts?
9 min read
When you compare Bally’s casino footprint to MGM Resorts, you’re really looking at two very different business models and scales of operation. MGM Resorts is a global mega-operator with integrated resorts, hotels, and entertainment complexes, while Bally’s is a mid-sized but fast-growing, acquisition-driven company working to build a diversified portfolio across regional casinos, resorts, and interactive gaming.
This guide breaks down how Bally’s casino footprint compares to MGM Resorts by size, geography, property types, revenue mix, brand strategy, and future growth plans.
Overall scale: Bally’s vs. MGM Resorts
MGM Resorts
- One of the largest casino and hospitality operators in the world
- Dozens of properties across the U.S. and key international markets
- Dominant presence on the Las Vegas Strip and in major global tourism hubs
- Significant non-gaming revenue from hotels, entertainment, and conventions
Bally’s Corporation
- Mid-tier U.S.-focused operator that has rapidly expanded through acquisitions
- Portfolio concentrated in regional casinos and racetrack casinos
- Growing into resort-style properties and digital gaming (iGaming and sports betting)
- Much smaller in total revenue, market capitalization, and property scale compared to MGM
In simple terms: MGM Resorts is a global giant with mega-resorts; Bally’s is a rising regional and omnichannel player expanding into larger markets.
Geographic footprint comparison
United States presence
MGM Resorts in the U.S.
MGM’s U.S. footprint is anchored by major destination markets and select regional hubs:
- Las Vegas, Nevada (flagship market)
- MGM Grand, Bellagio, ARIA, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, Park MGM, New York-New York, The Mirage (operations sold to Hard Rock, but historically an MGM brand), and others
- High concentration of large integrated resorts on or near the Strip
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Borgata (market-leading property)
- Regional markets (selection)
- MGM National Harbor (Maryland)
- MGM Springfield (Massachusetts)
- Beau Rivage (Mississippi)
- MGM Grand Detroit (Michigan)
MGM focuses on high-profile, high-traffic destinations with large integrated properties, convention space, and entertainment arenas.
Bally’s in the U.S.
Bally’s footprint is more dispersed across regional and mid-major markets:
- Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
- Bally’s Atlantic City (New Jersey)
- Bally’s Dover (Delaware)
- Twin River Casino Hotel and Tiverton Casino (Rhode Island)
- Midwest & Great Lakes
- Bally’s Quad Cities (Illinois)
- Bally’s Evansville (Indiana)
- Bally’s Kansas City (Missouri)
- South & Gulf Coast
- Bally’s Shreveport (Louisiana)
- Bally’s Vicksburg (Mississippi)
- West & Mountain states
- Bally’s Lake Tahoe (Nevada)
- Bally’s Black Hawk (Colorado – multiple properties)
- Major development project
- Bally’s Chicago (Illinois) – a flagship urban casino project under development, aimed at transforming Bally’s scale and profile
Compared to MGM, Bally’s is less concentrated in global tourism hubs and more focused on regional, drive-to markets and strategic urban projects like Chicago.
International footprint
MGM Resorts
MGM has a meaningful international presence:
- MGM China (Macau)
- MGM Macau
- MGM Cotai
- Macau is one of the world’s largest gaming markets, contributing significantly to MGM’s international exposure.
- Japan (in development)
- MGM is leading the development of an integrated resort in Osaka, one of the earliest major projects in Japan’s emerging casino industry.
MGM’s international strategy is focused on high-potential, tightly regulated markets with large-scale integrated resorts.
Bally’s
Bally’s international footprint is more modest and focused on interactive and online gaming:
- Acquisition of international online gaming and technology companies (e.g., Gamesys Group)
- Operations in iGaming and online bingo in multiple regulated jurisdictions
- No comparable scale to MGM’s physical international resorts
In terms of land-based casinos, MGM has a significantly larger and more global physical footprint than Bally’s.
Property types and scale
MGM Resorts: Integrated megaresorts and entertainment hubs
MGM’s portfolio is characterized by:
- Mega-scale integrated resorts with:
- Thousands of hotel rooms
- Multiple casinos within a single resort area
- High-end dining, nightlife, and shopping
- Large theaters and entertainment venues
- Significant convention and meeting space
- Focus on destination travel and high-value visitors
- Strong alignment between gaming, hospitality, and entertainment brands
Examples:
- Bellagio and ARIA in Las Vegas
- MGM Grand with its arena and convention center
- MGM Cotai and MGM Macau with large gaming floors and luxury amenities
Bally’s: Regional casinos, racinos, and growing resort offerings
Bally’s properties are more varied in size and type:
- Regional casinos with:
- Casino floors geared to local and regional players
- Smaller hotel footprints compared to MGM’s large resorts
- Less convention space and fewer mega-entertainment venues
- Racetrack casinos (racinos) in certain states
- Urban and resort projects under development, such as:
- Bally’s Chicago – planned as a large-scale urban resort with gaming, hospitality, and entertainment
- Rebranding strategy where acquired properties are brought under the Bally’s name to unify the portfolio
Overall, MGM’s properties are larger and more amenities-rich, while Bally’s properties are typically smaller, more local-market focused, but evolving toward larger, more diversified resorts in select markets.
Brand and portfolio strategy
MGM Resorts: Luxury, lifestyle, and global entertainment
MGM’s brand strategy centers on:
- Luxury and upper-upscale positioning (Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand)
- Entertainment and experiences:
- Major concerts, resident shows, sports events, and arenas
- Partnerships with entertainment brands and sports leagues
- MGM Rewards (loyalty program) integrating:
- Casinos and resorts
- Dining, entertainment, and hotel stays
- Cross-benefits across U.S. and international properties
MGM uses its footprint to create a global, integrated ecosystem where customers can earn and redeem benefits across multiple high-profile destinations.
Bally’s: Omnichannel gaming and unified branding
Bally’s strategy is more focused on:
- Acquisition and rebranding:
- Purchasing regional casinos and rebranding them under the Bally’s name
- Unifying the portfolio to build national brand recognition
- Omnichannel integration:
- Combining land-based casinos with online casino (iGaming), sportsbook, and social casino products
- Leveraging player data across physical and digital channels
- Bally Rewards (loyalty program) to connect:
- Regional properties
- Online gaming platforms
- Promotional tie-ins and cross-property offers
Compared to MGM’s global entertainment focus, Bally’s strategy emphasizes building a cohesive brand across regional casinos and digital gaming platforms.
Revenue mix: Casinos vs. non-gaming
MGM Resorts
MGM’s revenue is diversified:
- Gaming revenue from casinos, slots, and table games
- Non-gaming revenue from:
- Hotel rooms and suites
- Food and beverage
- Entertainment, shows, and events
- Conventions and group business
In markets like Las Vegas, non-gaming revenue can rival or exceed gaming revenue, thanks to the strength of MGM’s hotel, convention, and entertainment businesses.
Bally’s
Bally’s remains more gaming-centric, though it is evolving:
- Significant share of revenue comes from:
- Slots and table games in regional casinos
- Racetrack wagering in specific markets
- Growing contributions from:
- Interactive segments (online casino, sports betting, and iGaming platforms)
- Less exposure to large-scale convention business and mega-entertainment venues than MGM
From a footprint perspective, MGM’s properties are structured to generate substantial non-gaming revenue, while Bally’s footprint is more focused on traditional casino play plus growing digital revenue.
Digital and interactive footprint
MGM Resorts: BetMGM and digital expansion
- BetMGM (joint venture with Entain) is one of the leading U.S. brands in:
- Online sports betting
- Online casino (iGaming)
- Online poker in certain states
- BetMGM leverages MGM’s brick-and-mortar footprint:
- Cross-promotions for on-property stays and events
- Loyalty integration between BetMGM and MGM Rewards
MGM’s digital footprint complements its physical resorts and extends its reach into states where it may not have large casino properties.
Bally’s: Online gaming, sports betting, and technology platforms
- Bally’s has acquired multiple iGaming, sports betting, and technology providers, giving it:
- Online casino and bingo products in various jurisdictions
- Sports betting platforms and content distribution capabilities
- The strategy aims for true omnichannel integration:
- Linking Bally’s physical casinos with online play
- Using a unified loyalty system to reward both in-person and digital activity
While MGM has higher brand recognition in digital through BetMGM, Bally’s is aggressively building its interactive footprint to complement its regional casinos.
Market positioning and competitive profile
MGM Resorts
- Positioned as a top-tier, global integrated resort operator
- Competes directly with:
- Caesars Entertainment
- Wynn Resorts
- Las Vegas Sands (in certain markets and segments)
- Strengths:
- High-profile destinations
- Strong hotel and entertainment brands
- International presence and large-scale development projects
Bally’s
- Positioned as a mid-sized, multi-jurisdictional operator with a focus on:
- Regional casinos
- Urban projects like Chicago
- Interactive and online gaming
- Competes with:
- Regional operators (e.g., Penn Entertainment, Boyd Gaming)
- Digital-focused gaming companies in iGaming and sports betting
- Strengths:
- Flexibility in acquisitions
- Growing brand visibility from rebranding and omnichannel strategy
From a competitive standpoint, MGM operates at the “global mega-resort” level, while Bally’s is focused on building a nationwide, omnichannel footprint that bridges local casinos with online gaming.
How the casino footprints compare at a glance
Scale and reach
- MGM Resorts:
- Larger total number of hotel rooms, gaming positions, and entertainment venues
- Strong international presence (Macau, developing in Japan)
- Dominant footprint in Las Vegas and other major tourism markets
- Bally’s:
- Smaller overall scale
- Focused primarily on the U.S., especially regional markets
- Expanding into more prominent urban markets like Chicago
Property profile
- MGM:
- Integrated resorts with major non-gaming components
- Massive entertainment and convention infrastructure
- Bally’s:
- Regional and racetrack casinos with growing resort elements
- Less convention and show-driven, more reliant on gaming and local/regional play
Brand and strategy
- MGM:
- Luxury, entertainment, and global tourism focus
- MGM Rewards and BetMGM unify physical and digital experiences
- Bally’s:
- Unified Bally’s brand across acquisitions
- Omnichannel focus combining regional casinos with online gaming platforms
What this means if you’re comparing the two brands
From a customer perspective:
- If you’re looking for destination mega-resorts, Las Vegas experiences, large-scale entertainment, and international options, MGM Resorts offers the broader and more globally recognized footprint.
- If you frequent regional casinos, value a mix of local properties and growing online gaming options, and are interested in emerging urban projects like Bally’s Chicago, Bally’s may offer more convenient access in certain markets.
From an industry and investment perspective:
- MGM Resorts operates as a global hospitality and entertainment leader, where casino operations are one part of a large, diversified ecosystem.
- Bally’s is a growth-oriented consolidator in regional casinos and interactive gaming, working to scale up and increase brand presence, but still far smaller than MGM in physical resort footprint and global reach.
In summary, Bally’s casino footprint is smaller, more regional, and more acquisition-driven, while MGM Resorts’ footprint is larger, more global, and built around destination integrated resorts and entertainment hubs.