AGA announces 2025 Gaming Hall of Fame inductees

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced the 2025 inductees into the Gaming Hall of Fame, recognizing three influential leaders whose careers have significantly shaped the legal gaming industry.

This year’s honorees include David Berman, Co-Head of Macquarie Capital, Americas and Global Head of Consumer, Gaming & Leisure; Ann Simmons Nicholson, Founder and CEO of Simmons Group; and Charles Lombardo, former Senior Vice President of Gaming Operations at Seminole Hard Rock Gaming and former Senior Vice President of Slot Operations for Caesars Palace, Bally’s, and Paris Las Vegas.

“The Gaming Hall of Fame honors the visionaries who’ve shaped today’s gaming industry,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “David, Ann, and Charlie have each made lasting contributions to the growth, integrity, and leadership of legal gaming, and we’re proud to recognize their impact.”

AGA Chairman Mike Rumbolz added: “This year’s inductees reflect the strength, diversity, and expertise that define our industry. The Gaming Hall of Fame honors leaders whose careers exemplify excellence and enduring influence – and these three couldn’t be more deserving of this recognition.”

The Gaming Hall of Fame, established in 1989, honors individuals who have significantly advanced commercial and tribal gaming. The Class of 2025 will be inducted at a private ceremony during the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas this October.

The 2025 selection committee included Mike Palm (Circa Resorts), Anika Howard (Wondr Nation), Ryan Comstock (Ainsworth, AGEM), Debi Nutton (2024 inductee), Mark Lipparelli (International Center for Responsible Gaming), Kirsten Clark (IAGA), Lauren Bates (Light & Wonder, Global Gaming Women), Brett Abarbanel (UNLV International Gaming Institute), and Mike Rumbolz (AGA).

David Berman has more than three decades of experience in gaming mergers & acquisitions and capital markets. Berman has led more than 100 mergers & acquisitions worth more than $125 billion and helped clients raise more than $215 billion in debt and equity.

He founded REGAL Capital Advisors, a gaming-focused advisory firm acquired by Macquarie in 2011, and previously held senior roles at Credit Suisse, CIBC World Markets, and Oppenheimer & Co. Berman currently serves on the Board of Leaders at USC’s Marshall School of Business and is Treasurer of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation.

Ann Simmons Nicholson is an expert in strategic planning and organizational consulting. Over her 40-year career, she has worked with nearly every major gaming company, supporting more than 60 property openings, expansions, and acquisitions.

Her expertise spans human capital strategy, leadership development, organizational culture, and executive coaching, and her firm has provided training to more than 27,000 gaming professionals globally. She has served on the boards of United Way of Southern Nevada, Global Gaming Women, and Noah’s Animal House.

Charles Lombardo holds more than 50 years of experience in slot operations and game innovation. He has held senior leadership roles at Caesars Palace, Bally’s, Paris Las Vegas, and Seminole Gaming, where he led the development of Class II and III gaming standards, pioneered groundbreaking slot technologies, and helped shape state and tribal regulatory frameworks.

Today, he continues to consult on game development and casino openings and serves as a special gaming advisor to Seminole Gaming. Lombardo was the first-ever inductee into the Eilers Hall of Fame for Slot Operations.