The American Gambling Association (AGA) has revealed that the US commercial gaming industry made $53.0bn in revenue in 2021, an increase of $23.0bn from 2020.
This has broken the previous record of $43.65bn set in 2019 by 21.4%, and is a 76.6% increase on commercial revenue generated during 2020.
Revenue was affected in 2020 due to casino closures put in place during the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Retail gaming aided heavily in the recovery, with slots and table gaming revenue totaling at $44.94bn combined.
Sports betting handle hit $57.22bn in 2021, up 165.0% from 2020. Revenue came to $4.29bn, up 177.0%. Online gaming generated $3.71bn in revenue throughout the year.
Online gaming and sports betting combined reached $8bn, up 158.0% from 2020.
The AGA also recorded record quarterly revenue of $14.31bn for the industry, up 2.7% from the previous record of $13.89bn in Q1 2021.
“These results are nothing short of remarkable,” said Bill Miller, AGA president and CEO. “The success of 2021 reflects our commitment to health and safety and how Americans have welcomed gaming’s expansion across the country.”
“Today’s industry is effectively meeting customers how and where they want to engage—whether at a casino or through mobile gaming.”
