Americans Embrace Gaming Industry’s Economic Impact and Commitment to Responsibility
More Americans than ever participated in gaming-related entertainment over the past twelve months, according to new AGA research. That exposure and increasing familiarity with the gaming industry is driving widespread recognition of the industry’s commitment to operating responsibly and positively impacting the communities where it operates. 

AGA research shows that more than half of all American adults (55%) participated in some form of gambling in the past year. More than a quarter of adults (28%) gambled at a physical casino in the past year, while 21% placed a sports bet. 

The record level of engagement with the gaming industry comes as nearly 9-in-10 (88%) Americans find casino gambling to be acceptable for themselves or others. Overall, gambling acceptance has remained consistent for over a decade. However, this year, 59% of Americans found gambling personally acceptable, an all-time high. 

122 million adult Americans, or 49% of the population, visited a casino for gambling or other entertainment purposes in the past 12 months, the highest level of casino visitation on record.    

Compared to other entertainment options, consumers see casino gaming as innovative and high-value entertainment spending. 90% of casino visitors consider the entertainment provided by casinos to be innovative, while 89% believe that casinos offer good value for money compared to other entertainment options.

That innovation and value continue to attract younger adults to casino properties. The average age of casino-goers has fallen for five consecutive years, from 49.6 in 2019 to 41.9 in 2024.

Widespread Acknowledgement of Gaming’s Economic Benefits
Large majorities of Americans continue to recognize gaming as a growing and value-adding segment of the U.S. economy.

More than three-quarters (76%) of Americans say that the gaming industry has a positive impact on the overall U.S. economy. 

Further, strong majorities of Americans also acknowledge gaming’s local impact; more than three-quarters credit the industry’s contributions to local economies, job creation and tourism:

• 85% say casinos bring entertainment and dining options to areas or regions that might not otherwise be able to attract them.
• 84% agree casinos increase tourism and brings conventions and meetings to areas where they are located.
• 83% say the industry produces jobs and investments here in the U.S. that cannot be outsourced to other countries.
• 80% agree that gaming creates good paying jobs.

Operating Responsibly
As more Americans interact with the gaming industry, they are increasingly aware of our commitment to responsibility, whether around gaming itself or in industry marketing practices.

65% of Americans say the gaming industry is committed to encouraging responsible gaming and combating problem gambling, up from less than 40% in 2018. This confidence is even stronger among those who engage with the industry directly, with 81% of physical casino players and 88% of sports bettors agreeing with this sentiment, up from 70% and 78%, respectively last year.

There has also been a significant rise in the number of Americans exposed to responsible gaming information. Specifically, 46% of land-based casino players and 57% of sports bettors noted an increase in responsible gaming messaging. Notably, 66% of all Americans say they have encountered responsible gaming messaging in the past year, up from 56% in 2022.

Methodology
Kantar, on behalf of the American Gaming Association, conducted an online survey July 31-August 9, 2024 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 registered voters aged 21 and over related to responsible gaming and industry perceptions. The margin of error is +/- 2 percent and greater among subgroups.