These are the best US cities for gaming enthusiasts including Atlanta and Las Vegas
A new study reveals that Atlanta, Georgia, is America's top city for gamers.
The study, conducted by online gaming site Casino Days , analyzed data from Fancons.com, LinkedIn, and Foursquare's map API to measure the number of gaming cafés, game stores, conventions (2024-2025), and gaming-related job opportunities across 125 of the most populated US cities. These factors were equally weighted, and the resulting index was then used to rank the cities and highlight the best places for gaming enthusiasts.
Top 10 US cities for gaming enthusiasts
| Rank | City | State | Gaming cafés per 100,000 residents | Game stores per 100,000 residents | Conventions per 100,000 residents | Gaming jobs per 100,000 residents | Final score (out of 10) |
| 1 | Atlanta | Georgia | 3.92 | 4.11 | 1.96 | 158 | 7.01 |
| 2 | Las Vegas | Nevada | 9.83 | 8.47 | 0.61 | 82 | 6.81 |
| 3 | Orlando | Florida | 5.61 | 7.17 | 1.25 | 97 | 6.42 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 4.95 | 5.61 | 0.66 | 142 | 5.79 |
| 5 | Denver | Colorado | 7.12 | 6.00 | 0.28 | 62 | 4.69 |
| 6 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 4.67 | 8.51 | 0.55 | 30 | 4.62 |
| 7 | Anaheim | California | 4.41 | 9.40 | 0.59 | 7 | 4.48 |
| 8 | Huntsville | Alabama | 1.33 | 2.66 | 1.77 | 66 | 4.26 |
| 9 | Tampa | Florida | 3.97 | 5.70 | 0.50 | 71 | 4.23 |
| 10 | Boston | Massachusetts | 3.06 | 4.44 | 0.61 | 97 | 4.20 |
| n/a | United States | 2.01 | 3.76 | 0.24 | 45.15 | n/a |
Atlanta, Georgia, ranks first with a score of 7.01 out of 10 thanks to the highest concentration of gaming job opportunities in the study, with 158 per 100,000 residents, well above the national average of 45 job opportunities per 100,000 residents. Georgia’s capital also leads in conventions, hosting 10 between 2024 and 2025 so far (1.96 per 100,000 people), a whopping eight times the national average of 0.24 per 100,000 residents. Atlanta’s conventions include Dragon Con, held annually over Labor Day weekend and one of the largest multi-media popular culture conventions in the world. Atlanta also fosters a strong gaming community with 3.92 gaming cafés and 4.11 game stores per 100,000 residents, for a total of 20 gaming cafés and 21 game stores.
Las Vegas, Nevada comes in second with a score of 6.81 out of 10. The city has the highest density of gaming cafés and game stores in the study, with 65 gaming cafés (9.83 per 100,000 residents), and 56 game stores (8.47 per 100,000 residents). It hosted four gaming conventions in the past two years, including the LVL UP Expo in April and the Sonic Neon Summit in June, which corresponds to 0.61 per 100,000 residents. Las Vegas also offers strong career prospects, with 541 gaming-related jobs, the third highest on the list, which equals 82 per 100,000 residents, nearly double the national average of 45.
Orlando, Florida claims third place with a score of 6.42 out of 10. The city scores well across the board, with 18 gaming cafés (5.61 per 100,000 residents), 23 game stores (7.17 per 100,000 residents), and 4 conventions (1.25 per 100,000 residents). All of these are above the national averages of 2.01, 3.76, and 0.24 per 100,000 residents. Among the conventions held in Orlando is MegaCon Orlando, the largest fan con event in North America, celebrating comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming, and cosplay. The city also offers 97 gaming-related job opportunities per 100,000 residents, for a total of 310.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania secures fourth place with a score of 5.79 out of 10. The city has 142 gaming-related job opportunities per 100,000 residents (total 432), the third highest job concentration in the study, as well as 4.95 gaming cafés (total 15) and 5.61 game stores per 100,000 people (total 17). All these figures are above the national averages, with gaming-related job opportunities nearly three times the national average of 45.
Denver, Colorado completes the top five with a score of 4.69 out of 10, featuring 7.12 gaming cafés and 6 game stores per 100,000 residents. While Denver saw fewer gaming conventions per capita than the top three cities (only 2 between 2024 and 2025, resulting in 0.28 conventions per 100,000 residents), its 62 gaming-related job opportunities per 100,000 people (total 444) help maintain its top five standing. While this figure is lower than other cities in the top five, it’s still above the national average.
Ross Parkhill, Chief Executive Officer at Casino Days, commented on the findings, "These findings highlight how some of the strongest gaming hubs are outside the usual tech hotspots. Atlanta, for example, has a mix of retail stores, cafés, conventions, and a thriving job market that make it a real community for gamers. Las Vegas is another interesting case, as the city has built on its casino heritage to grow a lively video gaming scene. One of the main deal breakers is conventions, as cities that host them more often see a stronger gaming culture and a lift for local businesses at the same time. Travel patterns also reflect this, with flight searches to destinations hosting global gaming events, such as TwitchCon in San Diego, rising sharply around convention dates."