Gambling in the United States - statistics & facts
Whether it be Las Vegas or Atlantic City, the United States is home to some of the most renowned gambling locations in the world. Accordingly, while the laws and regulations surrounding gambling vary from state to state, gambling is undeniably woven into the cultural iconography of the United States. The gambling industry is also a major cog in the U.S. economy, with the national commercial gross gaming revenue (GGR) reaching 66.65 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. The majority of this revenue is generated by casino slots and tables games, which totaled around three-quarters of total GGR in 2023. That year, Nevada’s GGR outstripped every other U.S. state, totaling over 15 billion U.S. dollars. In comparison, Pennsylvania generated the second-highest amount of GGR, with 5.86 billion U.S. dollars.
As is also often the case, there have been conflicts in interpreting legislation at state and federal level. One instance of this is daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the state of Nevada, with the state’s Gaming Control Board insisting that DFS are a form of gambling and therefore require a license. However, leading DFS platforms have argued that under the 2006 Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act, fantasy sports are recognized as a game of skill rather than luck, and therefore do not need to pay for a gaming license. As of 2024, this conflict had yet to have been resolved, creating the bizarre situation of popular apps such as DraftKings or FanDuel not being accessible in the U.S. capital of gambling, Las Vegas.
Looking to the future, there is an expectation that the U.S. gambling industry will grow steadily over the coming years. This is especially true for online gambling, whose market size was forecast to grow from around 14 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 to close to 40 billion U.S. dollars by 2029. However, in person gambling is not expected to disappear any time soon, especially in locations such as Las Vegas, where visiting casinos is part of the holistic touristic experience.
Where is gambling legal in the U.S.?
Under federal law, gambling is legal in the U.S., however, each state can define its own regulations as it sees fit. Consequently, it is easy to lose track of what distinctions make certain forms of gambling illegal in one state, but perfectly acceptable in another. For example, following federal legislature in 2018 legalizing sports betting, 38 states decided to follow suit as of September 2024. However, eight of these states decided to only allow in-person sports betting.As is also often the case, there have been conflicts in interpreting legislation at state and federal level. One instance of this is daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the state of Nevada, with the state’s Gaming Control Board insisting that DFS are a form of gambling and therefore require a license. However, leading DFS platforms have argued that under the 2006 Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act, fantasy sports are recognized as a game of skill rather than luck, and therefore do not need to pay for a gaming license. As of 2024, this conflict had yet to have been resolved, creating the bizarre situation of popular apps such as DraftKings or FanDuel not being accessible in the U.S. capital of gambling, Las Vegas.
How many people gamble in the U.S.?
Recent years have seen an uptake in gambling in the U.S., with 49 percent of U.S. adults saying they participated in gambling in 2023. In comparison, 43 percent took part in 2019. Concurrently, attitudes towards gambling have become increasingly permissive in the U.S., with 56 percent of adults saying they found it acceptable in 2023. Four years previously, this figure had stood at 50 percent. When it comes to the most popular forms of gambling in the U.S., playing the lottery has been the consistent favorite, with 37 percent of the U.S. population having taken part in 2023.Looking to the future, there is an expectation that the U.S. gambling industry will grow steadily over the coming years. This is especially true for online gambling, whose market size was forecast to grow from around 14 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 to close to 40 billion U.S. dollars by 2029. However, in person gambling is not expected to disappear any time soon, especially in locations such as Las Vegas, where visiting casinos is part of the holistic touristic experience.
