What goes up must keep going up.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) recently released some big news for the U.S. commercial gaming industry.
The numbers are in for 2025, and they paint a picture of a booming sector that keeps on growing. If you're curious about how casinos, sports betting, and online gaming have been doing, read on to discover some fascinating highlights.
For the sixth year in a row, the commercial gaming industry in the United States has hit record-breaking revenue numbers. It shouldn't come as a big surprise since another study by the AGA uncovered record gambling participation.
In total, the industry's gross gaming revenue (GGR) reached an impressive $78.72 billion. That's a 9.2% increase from last year! This growth is mostly thanks to the popularity of digital gaming like sports betting and online casinos, which have become more common since laws changed a few years back.
Every state that has commercial gaming—38 in total—reported higher revenues for 2025. Not a single one fell behind. The last part of the year was especially good, with the industries earning $21.30 billion, marking the strongest quarter on record.
Segment Breakdown
Let's take a quick look at how different parts of the industry performed:
- Traditional Casinos: These include in-person places like slot machines and table games. They still bring in the most money with $50.94 billion in revenue. Although this part grew the least compared to others, it remains the backbone of the industry.
- Sports Betting: A true rising star, sports betting brought in around $17 billion, marking a huge 22.8% rise.
- iGaming: Online gaming platforms weren't far behind with $10.7 billion, climbing 27.6%.
Despite the ongoing Las Vegas tourism decline, Nevada stood out as the leader among the states, hitting about $15.8 billion. Pennsylvania and New Jersey were right behind.
Gaming and Taxes
Of course, with great earnings comes great responsibility. The industry paid $18.09 billion in state gaming taxes, a whopping 15.1% increase over the previous year. This money supports things we all care about, like schools, roads, and more. Here's how it breaks down by segment:
- Traditional gaming contributed about $11.33 billion.
- Sports betting taxes were at $2.95 billion, a sharp 32.4% increase.
- iGaming added around $2.06 billion, a 36.9% hike.
Comparing the Past 5 Years
Annual U.S. Commercial Gaming GGR and Tax Revenue (2019–2025)
Year | Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) | YoY Growth | Gaming Tax Revenue | Tax YoY Growth | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | $78.72 billion | +9.2% | $18.09 billion | +15.1% | Record high; all 38 jurisdictions grew. Digital segments drove ~2/3 of growth. |
2024 | $72.04 billion | +7.5% | $15.91 billion | +8.5% | First year surpassing $70B; 28 states set records. |
2023 | $67.01 billion | +10.9% | $14.66 billion | +8.7% | Strong expansion in sports betting & iGaming. |
2022 | $60.42 billion | +13.9% | $13.49 billion | +15.3% | Surpassed $60B milestone. |
2021 | $53.0 billion | +76.7% | $11.7 billion | Strong rebound | Post-COVID recovery; first new record post-2019. |
2020 | $30.0 billion | -31.3% | N/A | N/A |
Looking Forward
These numbers show a maturing industry with traditional casinos keeping a steady pace while digital options skyrocket, all while providing around 1.8 million jobs. Discussions are ongoing about what the future holds, especially concerning new competitors like prediction markets.
As the industry keeps evolving, it’s clear that it's not just about entertainment—it’s a major player in the economy. Whether you're interested in playing or just curious about the business side, 2025 has proven to be a remarkable year for U.S. commercial gaming.
