The Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) will relocate its annual GAMA Expo to a new long-term location: Baltimore. This aligns with consistently growing attendance numbers, which have more than doubled on multiple occasions since 2023 and have placed the expo as one of North America’s largest for the tabletop industry.
Why the Relocation?
GAMA’s site selection committee considered 30 cities prior to Baltimore being chosen as the new home of the expo, a Board Game Wire report indicates. A GAMA representative stated the speed at which the event grew necessitated the move. The last GAMA Expo in Reno, Nevada, drew more than 2,000 attendees. In 2024, attendance climbed to 3,420 in the expo’s first year in Louisville, Kentucky—far beyond early estimates.
What’s Next?
While Baltimore will be the ultimate destination, the move will not be soon. GAMA already has a multi-year agreement with Louisville that has them going through 2026. Due to the larger-than-anticipated turnout, the agreement has now been extended through 2027, so Louisville can still host the expo’s growing presence. Baltimore would then host the event once that agreement runs out.
GAMA’s Role in the Industry
GAMA is a well-respected and progressive organization in the tabletop world. It has taken clear positions on matters of trade and politics, such as boycotting polarizing figures like Jon Del Arroz and demonstrating against U.S. trade tariffs on Chinese goods.
Despite industry turmoil, including publisher closures and ongoing courtroom struggles, the continued expansion of the GAMA Expo is an encouraging sign. It reflects the long-term dedication of the tabletop gaming community and its excitement for new authors and new voices in the medium.
The move to Baltimore is another chapter in the GAMA history and underscores the endurance and vibrancy of the tabletop culture.