4 Staggering Facts To Know About The Current State Of US Gaming Revenue

American Gaming Association (AGA) CEO Bill Miller revealed commercial gaming revenue is eyeing a record-breaking year.

The main lobbying arm for the gaming industry released its Q2 revenue report, which detailed several notable strides the industry has made since 2019.

PlayUSA is breaking down four key findings from the report, which include $13.6 billion in the second quarter. The total shattered the 2019 Q3 record of $11.1 billion by more than 22%.

#1 US commercial gaming on pace to have its highest-grossing year ever

One of the standout points from the AGA report is the massive $24 billion in gaming revenue generated so far this year. According to Miller, total gaming revenue is on pace to surpass the 2020 full-year revenue of $30 billion. Of course, given that casinos were shut down for a portion of 2020, this isn’t that surprising.

But there’s more.

If gaming revenue stays the course, it could overtake the $43.6 billion generated in 2019, making 2021 the highest-grossing year for commercial gaming in history.

#2 iGaming tops $900 million in Q2

Another astonishing statistic is the $901.2 million generated from online casinos (iGaming) in Q2.

Online casino gaming has been in high demand even before the fall of PASPA and well into the pandemic’s shelter-in-place orders. As a result, the 2021 Q2 total is up 15% from the first quarter of 2021.

According to PlayUSA’s US Sports Betting & Online Casino Gambling Revenue tracker, lifetime online casino gaming revenue is $5,018,120,423.

The $5 billion-plus in gaming revenue has translated to $1,166,384,086 in tax dollars for state and local governments across the US.

#3 Sports betting nearing $2 billion in revenue for 2021

Sports betting across the US has also performed better than expected.

To date, US sports betting has totaled $1.85 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2021. Already, revenue has eclipsed the $1.5 billion generated in 2020.

Speaking to reporters on a conference call about second-quarter results, Miller had this to say:

“These first half results are truly remarkable. It is even more impressive when you consider commercial gaming revenue was at its lowest point ever just a year ago. This is a testament to our resilience and commitment to providing customers safe environments and world-class entertainment experiences.”

#4 Gaming industry not fully back…but getting there

Although Q2 numbers in the AGA report point to an industry moving in the right direction after a devastating 2020, Miller said the industry isn’t back yet.

“The past 18 months have proven that this industry can persevere through hard times while remaining dedicated to our customers and communities,” said Miller. “COVID-19 is not yet in the rearview mirror, but I’m confident the record first half of 2021 has laid a strong foundation for the industry’s full recovery.”

Indeed, following a year in which every US casino was shut down for over three months, the $24.77 billion thus far in 20201 speaks to the industry’s resilience.