Washington, D.C. – U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $17.71 billion in Q3 2024, the industry’s highest-grossing Q3 on record, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. This makes Q3 2024 the industry’s 15th consecutive quarter of annual revenue growth, with September marking the 43rd straight month of rising year-over-year commercial gaming revenue. 

Through the first nine months of the year, nationwide commercial gaming revenue stands at $53.24 billion, pacing 8.0 percent ahead of 2023 and putting the industry on track for a fourth straight record revenue year.  

In Q3 2024, 29 of the 35 commercial gaming jurisdictions operational last year saw increased year-over-year revenue. This growth resulted in an 8.9 percent year-over-year increase in state and local taxes tied directly to gaming revenue, with commercial gaming operators contributing $3.79 billion in taxes across the quarter.  

Quarterly revenue from land-based gaming – encompassing casino slots, table games and retail sports betting – totaled $12.56 billion, 0.62 percent lower than Q3 2023. Meanwhile, combined revenue from online sports betting and iGaming totaled $5.14 billion in Q3 2024 as online gaming made up 29.0 percent of commercial gaming revenue, a significantly higher share than in Q3 2023.   

Looking at each sector in Q3 2024:

• Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.38 billion, a contraction of 0.9 percent year-over-year. 
• Legal Sports Betting: Americans legally wagered $30.3 billion on sports, generating $3.24 billion in quarterly revenue (+42.4% YoY). Recent market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont contributed to this growth.
• iGaming: iGaming generated $2.08 billion in revenue, marking a 30.3 percent year-over-year increase.

“Q3 2024 continued gaming’s momentum from the first half of the year, with online casino and sports betting driving strong growth. At the same time, new brick-and-mortar casino openings bolstered traditional gaming, which still accounts for the bulk of industry revenue,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. “More than a quarter of commercial revenue now regularly comes from online sources, raising the importance of continued sustainable growth with consumers in those states.” 

Background

• AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker provides state-by-state and cumulative insight into the U.S. commercial gaming industry’s financial performance based on state revenue reports. This issue highlights Q3 2024 results. 
• 37 states and the District of Columbia featured operational commercial gaming markets in Q3 2024, including casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming. 
• AGA’s State of Play Map charts gaming’s economic impact, industry regulations and casino locations on a state-by-state basis for both the commercial and tribal gaming sectors. 

About the AGA

As the national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) fosters a policy and business environment where legal, regulated gaming thrives. The AGA’s diverse membership of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting and iGaming companies, gaming suppliers, and more lead the $329 billion industry and support 1.8 million jobs across the country. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. commercial gaming revenue for the second quarter of 2020 totaled $2.30 billion, a steep 78.8 percent year-over-year contraction, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) new Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. gaming industry saw revenue decline in nearly every reported vertical compared to Q2 2019.

“COVID-19 has undoubtedly posed the most difficult economic challenge the gaming industry has ever faced,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Yet, gaming’s record popularity prior to COVID-19, as well our resilience in the midst of such adversity, is evidence of the industry’s foundation for continued success as we emerge from the pandemic.”

Contrary to recent revenue declines, commercial casinos demonstrated strong consumer demand in 2020 when open for business. Before all 989 U.S. brick-and-mortar casinos closed their doors in March, combined commercial gaming revenue for January and February was up 10.4 percent year-over-year. Following the return of casino gaming in Q2, several states have reported a year-over-year uptick in average daily GGR per open casino despite operating with limited capacity, game availability, and amenities. This includes South Dakota (+42.5%), Ohio (+19.3%), and Indiana (+7.4%).

While April and May both experienced year-over-year GGR declines north of 90 percent, June saw nearly 300 commercial casinos reopen throughout the month and, as a result, revenue was nearly four times greater than the previous two months combined. More than 85 percent of U.S. casinos are now open, including nearly 9 in 10 commercial casinos, all of which have implemented stringent, regulator-approved health and safety plans.

“The gaming industry has been a leader in implementing rigorous, innovative protocols that have allowed the vast majority of our properties to reopen and stay open,” continued Miller. “With business returning to casino floors and sportsbooks seeing increased action, the gaming industry is steadily charting a responsible path to recovery that prioritizes health and safety, supports the communities where we operate, and offers first-class entertainment.”

Sports betting experienced a sharp decline in GGR in the second quarter due to the shutdown of sports activity, but is still up slightly (4.1%) in the first half of 2020 as a result of a record start to the year and increased legal options.

iGaming, the only gaming vertical to experience year-over-year growth in Q2 2020, marked the first full quarter generating more revenue than sports betting in the post-PASPA era. Online casino gaming is only legal in six states: Delaware, Pennsylvania, Nevada (poker only), New Jersey, and Michigan (not live).

AGA’s reporting on the financial performance of the U.S. commercial casino industry will continue on a quarterly basis as the association tracks the industry’s economic recovery. Monthly updates will be available on AmericanGaming.org.

Background

• The AGA’s State of the States 2020 report found that the U.S commercial gaming industry generated record revenue in 2019. The companion AGA State of Play map houses economic impact and regulatory data for each of the 44 gaming states.
• To date, 851 of 990 U.S. casinos properties across 40 states have partially reopened. This includes 417 commercial casinos (89.7% of total) and 434 tribal properties (82.8% of total). The AGA’s COVID-19 casino tracker lists the reopening status of every U.S. casino.
• Read an overview of the various practices that gaming companies have implemented based on a review of AGA member health and safety plans.

About the Report
AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker provides state-by-state and cumulative insight into the U.S. commercial gaming industry’s financial performance based on state revenue reports. The first issue highlights second quarter results, ending June 30 (Q2 2020), and year-to-date comparisons.

About the AGA
The American Gaming Association (AGA) is the premier national trade group representing the $261 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.8 million jobs nationwide. AGA members include commercial and tribal casino operators, gaming suppliers, and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry. It is the mission of the AGA to achieve sound policies and regulations consistent with casino gaming’s modern appeal and vast economic contributions.

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In stark contrast to the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on gaming, 2019 further solidified our industry’s role as a vital economic engine for states and local communities. The AGA’s State of the States report shows U.S. commercial casino gaming industry revenue topped $43.6 billion in 2019, up 3.7 percent from 2018.

Not only did annual commercial casino revenue hit a new high in 2019, but direct commercial gaming tax revenue generated more than $10 billion for state and local governments for the first time ever. This is a 4.1 percent increase from 2018 and does not account for the billions more in sales, income, and other taxes from gaming. The $10.2 billion in taxes benefit the states and communities in which casinos operate by funding education initiatives, health insurance programs, infrastructure and economic development projects, responsible gaming programs, and more. State-by-state breakdowns of the distribution of gaming taxes can be found in the report.

The increases in gaming revenue and taxes can be attributed in part to the continued expansion of legal sport betting, which 14 states legally offered in 2019. Americans wagered more than $13 billion on sports with legal operators in 2019, resulting in legal U.S. operators earning $908.9 million in sports betting revenue. This is more than double the $430.7 million revenue in 2018.

In 2019, the top 15 commercial casino markets by total gaming revenue maintained their previous rankings, but there was significant jostling for positions between the 16th and 20th largest markets. The downtown Las Vegas market overtook Shreveport/Bossier City for the 16th largest market. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh/Meadowlands area surpassed New Orleans for the 19th spot on the list.

Top Five Gaming Markets

21 of the 25 commercial gaming states reported increases in annual gross gaming revenue (GGR) from the previous year. The largest increase came in Massachusetts, reflecting the June opening of the state’s second casino-resort just outside of Boston. The steepest decline came in Louisiana amid expanded competition in neighboring states. Fourteen states—Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Rhode Island—recorded record gaming revenue.

Top Five Year-Over-Year Gaming Revenue Increases

About the Report

State of the States 2020 is the definitive economic analysis of the U.S. commercial casino industry and its significant economic impact in the 25 U.S. states with commercial gaming operations. For each of the 25 jurisdictions, the report analyzes gaming revenue and gaming taxes generated by commercial casino locations for the calendar year 2019. The report provides a breakdown of the legality of types of gaming and the number of casinos by state, summarizes major gaming policy discussions, and previews opportunities and challenges for the industry. AGA’s State of Play map provides the report findings in an easy-to-use, interactive tool.

Note, tribal casinos are subject to different reporting requirements and timelines. According to the most recently available data from the National Indian Gaming Commission, the tribal gaming sector’s revenue reached $33.7 billion in 2018.

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) will continue to bring the gaming industry together this fall through a new virtual experience. Get the benefits of a live event—expert education and thought leadership, networking opportunities, business meetings, and product discovery—wherever you are and on your schedule.

This complimentary kickoff session will take place on Wednesday, October 14 and feature three gaming leaders to discuss the path to reopening and strategies for success. The virtual platform will then open for a two-week preview where you can explore sessions, search for vendors, and plan your agenda for G2E taking place October 27-28.

Video Guides

How to Register as an AGA Member Operator

How to Register as an AGA Member for Non-Exhibiting Vendors and Suppliers

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) will continue to bring the gaming industry together this fall through a new virtual experience. Get the benefits of a live event—expert education and thought leadership, networking opportunities, business meetings, and product discovery—wherever you are and on your schedule.

A complimentary kickoff session will take place on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 and feature three gaming leaders to discuss the path to reopening and strategies for success. The virtual platform will then open for a two-week preview where you can explore sessions, search for vendors, and plan your agenda for G2E taking place October 27-28.

Video Guides

How to Register as an AGA Member Operator

How to Register as an AGA Member for Non-Exhibiting Vendors and Suppliers

Washington, D.C. – The majority of gaming executives report a positive view of current business conditions, while economic uncertainty is tempering future industry growth expectations, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Gaming Industry Outlook presented in partnership with Fitch Ratings.

Overall, nearly every gaming executive surveyed characterizes the current business situation as good (62%) or satisfactory (35%). However, panel participants report a more cautious outlook moving forward, with only 20 percent expecting future conditions to be better than today and two-thirds (64%) expecting future conditions to be the same.

“Gaming’s record momentum has continued into 2023 and that is clearly reflected by the attitudes of gaming executives around the country,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “While projections of slowing growth across the American economy are muting expectations for gaming in the medium term, our industry is well-positioned to weather any potential headwinds.”

Current Conditions Index
The Current Conditions Index of 106.0 shows strong growth in casino gaming-related economic activity in Q1 2023 relative to Q4 2022, the commercial gaming industry’s highest-grossing quarter to date. Over the last three quarters, industry activity has been expanding at an annualized pace of approximately 8.4 percent, reflecting real underlying growth, controlled for the effects of inflation. Comparatively, the national U.S. economy grew 2.9 percent over the last two quarters of 2022, the most recently available quarterly data.

Future Conditions Index
The Future Conditions Index decelerated to 97.1 in Q1 2023, indicating annualized industry economic activity is expected to decrease moderately over the next six months. This is partially driven by Gaming Executive Panel results—which remain positive but have softened relative to six months ago—as well as the current Oxford Economics forecast which predicts the U.S. economy will experience mild recession in the second half of 2023.

Gaming Executive Panel
Results from the Gaming Executive Panel show more cautious attitudes for growth over the next six months, with a greater share of executives expecting the pace of new employee hiring, revenue growth and customer activity to decrease over the next three to six months than to increase. Competition for current employees also continues to be a challenge, with talent retention cited as another area of concern by the panel.

Operators and suppliers both express outsized optimism across certain segments of their businesses:

• More operators expect capital investment (21% net positive) and gaming units in operation (14% net positive) to increase over the next three to six months than decrease.
• Gaming equipment manufacturers are particularly positive, with almost all supplier executives expecting sales of gaming units for replacement use to increase (88% net positive) and most expecting units for new or expansion use to increase (63% net positive). No gaming manufacturer expected the pace of sales to decrease.

Concerns around interest rates and inflation (cited by 69% of respondents) and economic uncertainty (38%) remain top concerns for industry executives. Meanwhile, supply chain delays have fallen out of the top five concerns of executives, replaced with geopolitical risk (31%). Concerns around availability of credit have also eased in the past six months, with the share of executives reporting access to credit as tight (20%) equally balanced by the share that view it as easy (20%).

About the Outlook
The AGA Gaming Industry Outlook is presented in partnership with Fitch Ratings and prepared biannually by Oxford Economics. It provides a timely measure of recent industry growth and future expectations. The Q1 2023 survey was conducted between March 29 – April 10, 2023. A total of 26 executives responded, including executives at the major international and domestic gaming companies, tribal gaming operators, single-unit casino operators, major gaming equipment suppliers, and major iGaming and/or sports betting operators.

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About the AGA
As the national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) fosters a policy and business environment where legal, regulated gaming thrives. The AGA’s diverse membership of commercial and tribal casino operators, sports betting and iGaming companies, gaming suppliers, and more lead the $261 billion industry and support 1.8 million jobs across the country.

About Fitch Ratings
Fitch Ratings is acting as a sponsorship partner in connection with the AGA Gaming Industry Outlook. Views expressed herein do not represent analytical views of Fitch Ratings.

Dedicated to providing value beyond the rating, Fitch Ratings is a leading provider of credit ratings, commentary and research. Fitch Group is a global leader in financial information services and is comprised of: Fitch Ratings, Fitch Solutions, Fitch Learning and Sustainable Fitch. With dual headquarters in London and New York, Fitch Group is owned by Hearst. For additional information, please visit fitchratings.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Major League Baseball (MLB) announced today a new partnership with the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Have A Game Plan.^® Bet Responsibly.™ public service campaign to educate fans and broaden the league’s responsible gaming efforts. In addition, MLB expanded its partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), with the league now serving as a Platinum Member and a part of the group’s Leadership Circle.

“As legalized wagering continues to grow across the country, MLB is committed to ensuring that fans who choose to wager also have the tools and resources necessary to bet responsibly,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Business Development. “With the expertise and additional resources of the AGA and NCPG, we’ll be able to expand our responsible gaming efforts further, driving new education, awareness and support service initiatives that will help keep sports betting safe, fun and entertaining for all those who participate.”

As Have A Game Plan partners, MLB will run responsible sports betting public service announcements across select MLB broadcast and digital media channels starting with the 2022 Postseason; the league will also extend campaign partnership opportunities to all 30 MLB Clubs. The AGA will provide MLB with counsel and expertise to deepen league-wide responsible gaming knowledge through benchmarking and annual trainings on best practices.

“Welcoming Major League Baseball as a Have A Game Plan partner is a milestone for the campaign and responsible gaming efforts nationwide,” said AGA Senior Vice President Casey Clark. “MLB understands that as legal sports betting grows so does our collective commitment to responsibility. This partnership will have a meaningful impact, teaching fans across the country the fundamentals of responsible wagering.”

MLB was the first professional sports league to join as a member of NCPG in 2005. Now, as a Platinum Member and part of the organization’s Leadership Circle, MLB works closely with Executive Director Keith Whyte’s team on various initiatives related to problem gambling and promotes the NCPG’s National Problem Gambling Helpline across all of MLB’s media platforms.

“We applaud MLB’s ongoing commitment to addressing problem gambling and look forward to their expanded efforts to support responsible gambling education to fans and families across the country,” said NCPG Executive Director Keith Whyte. “If gambling becomes a problem, knowing the resources for help is crucial. MLB’s extensive reach will make a significant impact in raising awareness of the National Problem Gambling Helpline and the resources available for treatment.”

The announcements were made during the inaugural Responsible Gaming Education Month, which is designed to promote gaming literacy and consumer education.

The gaming industry has a striking impact on the U.S. economy – providing stable jobs to nearly two million Americans and generating billions of dollars in tax revenue. This research represents the first comprehensive report on the gaming industry’s national economic impact since 2014.

The gaming industry supports a total economic impact including:

• $261.4 billion of output (business sales)
• 1.8 million jobs with $74.0 billion of labor income (wages, salaries, tips, benefits and other labor income)
• $40.8 billion of federal, state and local taxes, including $10.7 billion of gaming taxes

The gaming industry directly employs 727,000 people in the U.S., with $33.3 billion of wages, salaries, tips, benefits and other labor income. This includes 559,000 jobs on-site at casinos and corporate offices, 17,000 at U.S.-based operations of gaming manufacturers, and 151,000 at businesses providing goods and services to casino patrons during casino trips.

Ancillary spending by casino patrons at other businesses totals $13.3 billion, including $2.4 billion of spending at restaurants and $1.7 billion at retail stores.

Within the broader gaming industry, commercial casinos employ 361,000 employees who earn $17.4 billion in wages and benefits while tribal casinos employ 198,000 employees who earn $9.1 billion of wages and benefits annually.

Gaming supports more direct jobs than in other industries such as plastics manufacturing, or the motion picture and sound recording industry. Additional highlights:

Casino employment (559,000 jobs) is equivalent to more than one in 30 leisure and hospitality jobs.

Direct employment (727,000 jobs) is equivalent to one in 175 jobs in the service sector, would be enough to fill every seat in the Dallas Cowboys’ football stadium for every home game, and is almost as many people as work in the District of Columbia. Total employment (1.8 million jobs) is equivalent to one in 83 non-farm jobs and would rank 28th among U.S. states measured by non-farm employment The total tax impact per household was $343 per U.S. household. This tax offset represents the federal state and local taxes that would otherwise need to be paid per U.S. household to compensate for the absence of gaming industry activity.

As part of the the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Get to Know Gaming series, gaming industry stakeholders gathered at The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington County, Pennsylvania to discuss gaming’s role in the state as a driver of economic growth and a community partner.

Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Kotula moderated the discussion, beginning by sharing his perspective on gaming’s impact on the local economy, “[The Meadows’ impact] has been substantial. Not only do they employ over 1,000 employees, they also add to our economy, not only in purchasing locally but also in terms of giving back, in terms of community service.”

Bill Miller, AGA president and CEO, framed the discussion with AGA’s research report, Casinos and Communities: Pennsylvania, which was released in conjunction with the panel. Announcing, “Our industry generates $6.3 billion in total economic impact across the Keystone State, providing $1.8 billion in supported wages. Gross gaming revenue taxes alone reached $1.5 billion just last year—this represents 7% of all state sales tax collected throughout Pennsylvania in 2018.”

Representative Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) corroborated these findings, commenting that gaming has been integral to revitalizing Pittsburgh’s North Shore Neighborhood. Reschenthaler also stressed the need to allow the gaming industry to continue to innovate and keep pace with changing demographics, remarking that, “We can only allow the industry to adapt and to grow if we make sure we’re updating the laws and regulations pertaining to gaming.”

Owner of The Ivy Green florist shop, Melissa Green, gave her firsthand account of gaming’s economic ripple effects, “In a one-mile radius from where my shop is, 10 flower shops were open when I purchased my shop and there’s two left.” Adding, “my partnership with the casino probably has prevented me from becoming one of those statistics.”

Continuing the discussion on community impact, North Strabane Township Fire Department Chief Mark Grimm recounted how his department recently partnered with The Meadows to organize the largest Toys for Tots donation in the area. “We do a lot in the community, and I think that one of the partnerships that we’re most proud of is with the casino because we’re both in business for customer service.”

As the conversation turned toward responsible gaming, Tim Wilmott, AGA chairman and Penn National Gaming CEO, explained, “We work with states to make sure that people can self-identify and self-exclude themselves from coming to the [casinos]…we certainly don’t want to have a business that is predicated on or supported by people that cannot control themselves within our environment.”

Representative Reschenthaler further remarked that, “The industry does a really good job of promoting responsible gaming,” adding that taking gambling out of illegal markets allows states to regulate the market, capture tax revenue, and ensure that people can get help if they need it.

Additional panel topics included sports betting and casino tax rates.

Media Highlights

• Bill Miller: Casinos are Job Creators, Community Partners, TRIB Live
• Gaming Industry Boosts Pennsylvania Communities, Casino Beats
• Pennsylvania Cashing In On Economic And Social Contributions of Casinos, PA Online Casino 

Elected officials, tribal gaming leaders, and industry representatives met in Tulsa, OK to discuss the impact of gaming on Oklahoma’s economy and communities.

Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA), joined the panel, saying, “For nearly three decades, sovereign tribal nations and gaming companies have been engines of growth and opportunity in the state of Oklahoma, creating partnerships with local organizations, supporting area small businesses, and providing good jobs for workers of all backgrounds. Today, we’re pleased to spotlight how the relationships between Oklahoma’s tribal nations, elected officials, small business owners, and community leaders serve as a model of success for states around the nation.”

The event was held in tandem with the release of the AGA’s Casinos and Communities: Oklahoma report, which offers an in-depth look at how the gaming industry supports local communities in the Sooner State. According to the report, Oklahoma’s 141 tribal and commercial casinos support 75,885 jobs and $4.3 billion in wages in the state, amounting to $9.8 billion in total economic impact and $1.7 billion in taxes and tribal revenue share payments.

Speaking on the gaming industry’s investment in communities, Choctaw Nation Senior Executive Officer Janie Dillard shared that the Choctaw Nation is “all about servant leadership,” working in partnership with surrounding communities to make road improvements, build fire stations, and lead infrastructure improvements. She concluded, “We’ve taken those casino dollars and reinvested into our local communities.”

Cherokee Nation Dep. Attorney General Chrissi Nimmo briefed the audience on the “life-changing impact of gaming proceeds,” relaying, “[Cherokee Nation] is set this year to open a 469,000 square-foot outpatient facility at a cost of $200 million. We are also, next year, opening the first tribally affiliated medical school in the United States…we were able to do that only because of gaming proceeds.”

Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Commerce Bill Lance emphasized that responsible gaming is the foundation of the gaming industry, describing how Oklahoma tribes earmark funds to support problem gambling treatment, maintain a state-wide self-exclusion database, conduct extensive employee training programs, offer robust mental healthcare to tribe members, and partner with the Oklahoma Association of Problem and Compulsive gaming.

U.S. Representative Tom Cole (OK-04), a fifth generation Oklahoman and enrolled member of Chickasaw Nation, called the establishment of tribal gaming “the single most transformative economic development in recent Oklahoma history,” as it has led to tribes becoming the third largest employer in the state. He elaborated that, because of gaming, tribes have “brought in more outside investment and job creation than anybody else could,” especially to the traditionally most challenged regions of Oklahoma. Cole added, “[tribal gaming] has been a goose that has been laying a lot of golden eggs for the people of Oklahoma.”

Additional panelists included Rep. Kendra Horn (OK-05), as well as Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, who moderated the discussion.

Media Highlights

• Point of View: Oklahoma’s casinos, communities working together to spur growth, The Oklahoman 
• American Gaming Association: Oklahoma Gaming Supports Small Businesses, Native Business
• AGA hails gaming as engine of growth as tour lands in Oklahoma, SBC Americas
• Casino gaming industry brings growth to Oklahoma, Casino Beats