To Top

Does Sports Betting Lead to Casino Gaming? Not as Much as US Operators Would Like

Data from gambling vendor Optimove suggest that sports bettors in the US stick to that form of gaming more than players in other nations

railroad tracks crossing over one another
Photo by Al.geba/Shutterstock
Derek Helling Avatar
5 mins read
Share Share
Copy link Share on X Share on Facebook Share on Reddit Share via Email

Recent data shows that US sportsbook users are only one-third as likely to play online casino games through those apps as bettors in other parts of the world. That finding comes from Optimove, a marketing and technology company that services gambling licensees.

Although there are some intricacies to the regulated gambling landscape in the US, that data suggests that the expansion of legal online casinos into states with sports betting won’t immediately boost operators’ online casino performances to be on par with global norms.

In the first years of legal US sports betting, the strategy favored by most brands in online casino markets was to focus on hybrid apps combining their sportsbook with a casino. Although those hybrids remain the star of the show for the biggest operators, many have also begun experimenting with standalone casinos in the face of disappointing levels of crossover. For instance, Caesars has invested heavily in its Caesars Palace app, while DraftKings acquired Golden Nugget Online Casino as a brand with more appeal to pure-play casino users.

Gambling operators will need to shift their priorities if they want to promote crossover play between casino and sports betting. Given the volatility of sports wagering revenue and more consistent margins for online casino play, the current low rate of crossover is an issue for US operators.

Optimove shares data on online casino/sports betting crossover

Optimove shared with PlayUSA that “globally, an average of 6% of players transition into multi-product users each month, engaging with both casino and sports offerings. In the US, however, this figure lags significantly, with only 2% of sports bettors making the switch to multi-players.”

There is some important context with these data. In this instance, “multi-player” means players who engage with both sports and casino within the same month.

The data come from six US operators that use Optimove’s services and which offer both casino games and sports wagering online in appropriate US states. An important caveat is that these data only measure intra-brand crossover and do not account for players in the US who may bet on sports with one operator while playing online casino games with a different brand.

Optimove’s conclusion from these data is that “this underperformance highlights a missed opportunity to deepen player engagement and drive retention.” There are some peculiarities about the current landscape of online gambling in the US to note at the same time.

Unique aspects of the US online gambling framework

Optimove told PlayUSA that the operators whose data was included in the data set “are more sports-oriented, which means their players are more engaged with their sports betting offers.” That’s understandable to a point, as only 13% of the US population currently has access to a regulated online casino option where they live as opposed to a strong majority of US residents having access to a regulated online sportsbook.

A primary factor behind that access disparity is that only seven US states have legalized and regulated online casino play at the opening of 2025. Efforts are ongoing in multiple states at the beginning of 2025 to expand that map.

Should those measures prove successful, it’s possible that the number of people who play on both verticals in the US could increase. However, expansion alone is no guarantee that the rate of crossover would improve without accompanying shifts in operators’ practices.

Importance of improving crossover rate

For US online gaming companies, increasing the rate of crossover in existing enabling states is also crucial in the event that efforts to grow the number of such states fail. Compared to sports wagering, revenue from online casino play is not only more lucrative but also more reliable.

The volatility of sports wagering revenue for companies was evident in December 2024. As just one example, New Jersey’s regulated sportsbooks won just 5.2% of the money bet during the month, a decline of 3.2% compared to December 2023.

That same month, New Jersey online casinos set a new single-month record for winnings and sustained year-over-year growth of more than 20%. During December, revenue from online casino play was nearly four times the amount of revenue from sports betting.

Keeping in mind the low rate of crossover that Optimove data suggests in states like New Jersey, there seems to be more room for online casino revenue to grow in those places. Realizing that potential could be a struggle, though.

Cultural challenges facing online casino operators

This gap in crossover play could be attributable to cultural differences. Gali Hartuv, CEO and co-founder of WarriorLab, a management consultancy specializing in iGaming and B2C and VIP optimization strategy, believes that plays a role in the disparity.

He commented:

I do believe that there is a big cultural factor that makes US players less receptive to online casino play.

“First, it is a culture of land-based casinos. US culture is ingrained in sports and it’s more of a social factor whereas casino is not as social. In our consulting, we’ve found that the demand for casino and casino-themed games was largely presented and borne out of a lack of availability. In most of the states where casino gaming is legal, everything is land-based, so that’s what people know. Players would rather get the casino experience playing in a property in their state and they enjoy the sports element of watching a game in a more social setting. It’s also become more socially acceptable to show other people your sports bets whereas you don’t really see that on the casino side.”

How US operators could improve crossover

Hartuv feels that US operators can surmount that obstacle with the right approach, however.

Hartuv explained:

When looking at cross-selling, I’m a firm believer that you need to target segments that show signs of wanting to play cross-platform or at least try something new.

“The easiest way to do that, from a sports perspective, is to look at players who are betting multiple sports. They aren’t focused on a singular opportunity. Ask them whether they are open to trying something new. This is the VIP approach. You have to build that relationship, build trust, and don’t come across as an operator that is just trying to extract more money out of people who are already spending potentially to the extent of their comfort.”

Online gambling companies in the US not only face the challenge of expanding their presence in new states but also convincing players in active markets to expand their play beyond sports wagering. Despite the challenges, the revenue potential of online casino games makes solutions worth pursuing.

Derek Helling Avatar
Written by

Derek Helling is a staff writer for PlayUSA. Helling focuses on breaking news, including finance, regulation, and technology in the gaming industry. Helling completed his journalism degree at the University of Iowa and resides in Chicago

View all posts by Derek Helling

Derek Helling is a staff writer for PlayUSA. Helling focuses on breaking news, including finance, regulation, and technology in the gaming industry. Helling completed his journalism degree at the University of Iowa and resides in Chicago

Sign up to our newsletter to get PlayUSA’s latest hands-on reviews, expert advice, and exclusive offers delivered straight to your inbox.
You are already subscribed to our newsletter. Want to update your preferences data?
Thank you for signing up! You’re all set to receive the latest reviews, expert advice, and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Stay tuned!
View Offers