US commercial gaming revenue hits record $78.6bn in 2025

(AsiaGameHub) –   Sports betting and igaming continued to fuel growth across the entire sector, while regulators stepped up enforcement efforts against illegal gambling operations.

US.- The American Gaming Association has confirmed that the US commercial gaming industry generated record revenue of US$ 78.62bn for 2025. As previously reported back in February, revenue rose 9.1 per cent year over year, driven by the ongoing expansion of land-based casinos, sports betting and igaming, with 34 of the 38 jurisdictions that have regulated gambling plus Washington D.C. setting new all-time annual revenue records.

Direct gaming tax contributions generated by commercial operators increased by 12.3 per cent year over year to US$ 17.86bn. This figure covers state and local taxes levied directly on gaming activities, and excludes other corporate and payroll taxes paid by operators.

Traditional casino gaming remained the industry’s largest revenue segment. The 493 commercial casino properties operating across 27 US states generated US$ 51.06bn from slot machines and table games in 2025, marking a 2.3 per cent rise compared to the previous year.

Brick-and-mortar casinos hold leading market position

The Las Vegas Strip remained the country’s largest commercial casino market despite recording no growth in gaming revenue. New casino openings in Illinois contributed to improved performance in the Chicagoland and St. Louis markets, while Baltimore-Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Detroit and Boston saw drops in land-based casino revenue.

Outside Nevada and Mississippi, which do not release property-level performance data, Resorts World New York City remained the highest-grossing commercial casino property in the US in 2025.

Meanwhile, commercial sports betting revenue jumped by 22.6 per cent year-on-year to US$ 16.89bn. That figure excludes tribal sportsbook operations and mobile sports betting activity in Florida. As for igaming, revenue crossed the US$ 10bn mark for the first time ever.

Pennsylvania remained the country’s largest igaming market, with revenue climbing nearly 28 per cent to US$ 3.46bn. For the first time, annual igaming revenue outpaced land-based commercial casino revenue in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania continued to make up almost 90 per cent of nationwide igaming revenue, though Delaware, Rhode Island and West Virginia recorded the strongest growth rates for the segment.

Maine was the only state to approve igaming legislation during 2025, with the measure set to enter into force in early 2026.

State authorities crack down on illegal gambling

Regulators and lawmakers also intensified efforts targeting illegal gambling activity over the course of the year. Authorities in 16 states took action against prediction market platforms offering sports event contracts via cease-and-desist orders, lawsuits and regulatory guidance.

California, Connecticut, Montana, New Jersey and New York passed legislation explicitly prohibiting sweepstakes gaming platforms that mimic online casino or sportsbook products. At the same time, regulators in Florida, Michigan, Mississippi and Tennessee continued enforcement efforts against offshore gaming operators and unlicensed betting activity.

In August, the American Gaming Association estimated that illegal gambling operations, including offshore sportsbooks and unregulated online casinos, generate approximately US$53.9bn in annual revenue, leading to more than US$15bn in lost state tax revenue.