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The tabletop gaming industry’s most anticipated trade show arrives in Louisville this spring. GAMA EXPO 2026 brings together more than 300 exhibitors, publishers, retailers, distributors, and creators for five days of seminars, product demos, and strategic networking. Hosted at the Kentucky International Convention Center, this is where the hobby games industry conducts real business and shapes the year ahead.
GAMA EXPO 2026 takes place March 1–5 in Louisville at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Discover networking, new game previews, and pipeline-building opportunities for tabletop industry exhibitors.

Event: GAMA EXPO 2026
Dates: March 1–5, 2026
Venue: Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA
Organiser: GAMA: The Tabletop Game Association
More Details: https://www.gama.org/page/gama-expo
GAMA EXPO delivers concentrated business value for professionals across the tabletop ecosystem:
Preview unreleased games and new product lines before retail launch
Build distributor and retail partnerships through structured networking
Attend seminars and panels focused on trends, margins, and market strategy
Showcase products to decision-makers who influence North American buying decisions
For exhibitors, this is not just exposure. It is pipeline development.
GAMA EXPO 2026 Exhibitor List
GAMA EXPO features more than 300 exhibitors representing publishers, distributors, accessory manufacturers, and service providers across the tabletop gaming ecosystem.
Reviewing the exhibitor list before arrival helps you:
Identify priority publishers and product lines
Schedule distributor and retailer meetings in advance
Map booth locations for efficient exhibit hall navigation
Prepare targeted partnership or purchasing conversations
Browse the official exhibitor list here:
https://www.gama.org/page/gama-expo
High-Value Opportunities You’ll Find at GAMA EXPO :
GAMA EXPO isn’t just a trade show, it’s where the hobby games industry conducts business.
Here’s what you’ll find: -
Product Discovery:
Preview unreleased games, merchandise, and hobby products before they hit retail shelves.
See innovative designs and game mechanics from independent creators and major publishers alike.
Strategic Networking:
Connect with game retailers, distributors, wholesalers, and fellow industry professionals building long-term business relationships. The five-day format allows multiple touchpoints beyond booth conversations.
Market Intelligence:
Attend seminars and panel discussions featuring industry experts sharing trends, consumer insights, and emerging opportunities in tabletop and hobby gaming.
Brand Exposure and Partnership Building:
Showcase your products or services to a concentrated audience of decision-makers and influencers who shape retail buying decisions across the North American games market. Who You’ll Meet Across the Value Chain GAMA EXPO attracts a diverse mix of industry Professionals and enthusiasts.
Game Retailers and Store Owners:
Independent and chain store operators managing inventory, seeking new products, and evaluating distribution partnerships.
Distributors and Wholesalers:
Professionals managing supply chains, evaluating margins, and sourcing new SKUs for their networks.
Game Designers and Independent Publishers:
Indie creators pitching concepts, networking with distributors, and gathering market feedback on prototypes.
Major Game Publishers:
Representatives from established publishers showcasing upcoming releases and conducting business development meetings.
Enthusiasts and Collectors:
Dedicated hobbyists seeking exclusive products, limited editions, and direct access to creators and industry leaders.
Tournament Organizers and Community Leaders:
Professionals managing local gaming communities, Official Tournament Stores, and event programming.

GAMA EXPO is exclusively for members of GAMA: The Tabletop Game Association. Retailers, distributors, publishers, and industry professionals must maintain active membership to attend.
To prepare:
Verify or renew membership at https://gama.org
Register for the event at https://www.gama.org/page/gama-expo
Arrive during registration hours to collect your badge
Plan seminar and exhibit hall schedules in advance
Early confirmation is critical, as the event historically reaches capacity.
Expo Venue: Kentucky International Convention Center
221 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA
Located in downtown Louisville, the venue is accessible from major transportation hubs.
From Louisville International Airport (SDF):
Distance: Approximately 10 miles
Travel time: 20 to 25 minutes by taxi or rideshare
From Louisville Union Station:
Distance: Approximately 2 miles
Travel time: 5 minutes by taxi or 10 to 15 minutes walking
TARC bus routes serve downtown Louisville, and Google Maps provides real-time navigation for drivers.
Parking is available in multiple downtown Louisville garages and surface lots within walking distance of the Kentucky International Convention Center.
Options include:
Attached convention center parking garages
Nearby public parking structures
Hotel parking facilities for overnight guests
Plan for additional time on peak exhibit days and budget 15 to 20 minutes for parking and entry.
Last year at GAMA EXPO, conversations were constant. I spoke with independent designers about prototypes, retailers about margin concerns, and distributors about upcoming release schedules. Business cards moved quickly across demo tables and seminar sessions.
The next morning, I was staring at a stack of cards trying to remember who discussed expansion pre-orders and who wanted distribution terms. While buyers were reviewing product catalogs, I was reconstructing conversations from memory.
The opportunity was real, but my follow-up lacked speed and structure.
This is where a smarter post-event workflow changes the outcome.
The Smarter Way to Capture Conversations at GAMA EXPO
At GAMA EXPO, every conversation could lead to a retail order, distribution agreement, or publishing collaboration. Not all lead capture tools are designed for the pace and pressure of a busy trade show floor. Habsy is built specifically for high-volume exhibition environments where conversations move fast, context matters, and follow-up speed directly impacts revenue.
Capture
AI-powered business card scanning with high OCR accuracy
QR badge scanning for fast lead capture from event-issued badges without manual entry
Professional QR profiles for instantly sharing personal contact details during networking
Business QR profiles that let visitors access brochures, company details, products, and links directly from booth banners or displays
NFC-enabled digital business card sharing and two-way contact exchange
Phone-to-phone NFC sharing with no app required on the recipient’s side
Offline capture support that syncs automatically once internet connectivity returns
Batch scanning for processing stacks of business cards quickly after events
Qualify & Add Context
Intent signals captured during conversations to prioritize leads by buying stage or interest level
Categories for organizing contacts by buyer type, product line, campaign, or priority
Quick notes and voice notes with transcription to preserve important conversation details
One-tap reminders for scheduling timely follow-ups before leads go cold
AI enrichment for adding professional and company context to captured contacts
Act & Follow Up
AI-generated email follow-up templates personalized using captured contact context
AI-powered WhatsApp follow-up templates for faster outreach after meetings and events
Advanced filters for building targeted outreach lists instantly
Team visibility and platform workflows for managing leads across events and campaigns
Clean & Export
Duplicate detection after sync to identify repeated contacts before CRM export
Review workflows for validating and organizing captured data
Direct CRM integrations through the Habsy Platform with HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Salesforce, and more
Option to either push leads directly to CRM or first qualify and organize them before syncing
CRM-ready CSV exports compatible with virtually any sales or workflow system
Instead of leaving an event with scattered business cards and incomplete spreadsheets, teams leave with clean, organized, context-rich, revenue-ready lead data prepared for immediate follow-up. To understand how structured lead management compares to traditional event tools, read our guide on Lead Capture vs Lead Retrieval. You can also explore common pitfalls in executive networking in our article on Networking Mistakes to Avoid: 5 Fixes for Better Event ROI.
GAMA EXPO is not just a five-day gathering. It is a growth engine for retailers, publishers, and distributors across the tabletop ecosystem.
The professionals who convert show floor conversations into revenue are those who follow up within 24 hours while details are still fresh. They send catalogs before competitors organize their notes. They schedule calls before interest fades.
The event lasts five days.
The opportunity window lasts only a few more.
Make it count.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) :
1. When and where is GAMA EXPO 2026 taking place?
GAMA EXPO 2026 will be held March 1–5, 2026 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
2. Who can attend GAMA EXPO 2026?
GAMA EXPO is exclusively for members of GAMA: The Tabletop Game Association, including retailers, distributors, publishers, designers, and other industry professionals with active membership.
3. How many exhibitors are expected at GAMA EXPO 2026?
GAMA EXPO features 300+ exhibitors, including major publishers, independent designers, distributors, accessory manufacturers, and service providers across the tabletop gaming ecosystem.
4. What opportunities does GAMA EXPO offer for retailers and publishers?
Attendees can:
Preview unreleased games and new product lines
Build distributor and retail partnerships
Attend business-focused seminars and panels
Negotiate purchasing and distribution agreements
Network with key North American decision-makers
5. What is the best way to manage leads collected at GAMA EXPO?
The most efficient approach is using a business card and QR badge scanning app like Habsy, which allows you to:
Instantly scan cards and badges
Tag contacts by retailer, distributor, or publisher type
Add SKU interest or order potential as custom fields
Record voice notes from product discussions
Set Day-1 follow-up reminders
Export CRM-ready data
This ensures booth conversations turn into structured, revenue-ready pipelines.




