U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $17.71 billion in Q3 2024, the industry’s highest-grossing Q3 on record, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. This makes Q3 2024 the industry’s 15th consecutive quarter of annual revenue growth, with September marking the 43rd straight month of rising year-over-year commercial gaming revenue.

Through the first nine months of the year, nationwide commercial gaming revenue stands at $53.24 billion, pacing 8.0 percent ahead of 2023 and putting the industry on track for a fourth straight record revenue year.

In Q3 2024, 29 of the 35 commercial gaming jurisdictions operational last year saw increased year-over-year revenue. This growth resulted in an 8.9 percent year-over-year increase in state and local taxes tied directly to gaming revenue, with commercial gaming operators contributing $3.79 billion in taxes across the quarter.

Quarterly revenue from land-based gaming – encompassing casino slots, table games and retail sports betting – totaled $12.56 billion, 0.62 percent lower than Q3 2023. Meanwhile, combined revenue from online sports betting and iGaming totaled $5.14 billion in Q3 2024 as online gaming made up 29.0 percent of commercial gaming revenue, a significantly higher share than in Q3 2023.

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Looking at each sector in Q3 2024:

• Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.38 billion, a contraction of 0.9 percent year-over-year.
• Legal Sports Betting: Americans legally wagered $30.3 billion on sports, generating $3.24 billion in quarterly revenue (+42.4% YoY). Recent market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont contributed to this growth.
• iGaming: iGaming generated $2.08 billion in revenue, marking a 30.3 percent year-over-year increase.

“Q3 2024 continued gaming’s momentum from the first half of the year, with online casino and sports betting driving strong growth. At the same time, new brick-and-mortar casino openings bolstered traditional gaming, which still accounts for the bulk of industry revenue,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. “More than a quarter of commercial revenue now regularly comes from online sources, raising the importance of continued sustainable growth with consumers in those states.”

The American Gaming Association (AGA), European Casino Association (ECA), and the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that marks the beginning of a collaboration grounded in shared industry values and priorities. The MOU formalizes a commitment among the three associations to address key issues facing the global gaming industry including illegal gambling, responsible gaming, innovation, and security.

“This new partnership is a significant step forward in our collective efforts to advance the legal gaming industry and protect consumers around the globe. By sharing our unique resources, we will expand our fight against illegal gambling to new fronts, work together to strengthen responsible gaming, and innovate around business best practices,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.

“By fostering dialogue and cooperation across borders, the AGA, ECA, and BGC are taking a proactive approach to safeguarding the integrity of the legal gaming industry and ensuring its continued growth and success,” Miller added.

The MOU will create a platform for undertaking joint research projects and bringing each organization’s staff and members together to share expertise.

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“The European Casino Association stands united with the AGA and BGC in its commitment to addressing the key issues facing all gaming industry stakeholders. The ECA fully backs this initiative and supports the ongoing efforts to rigorously combat illegality within our industry, continuously strengthen player protections and security, and ensure the creation of an environment that fosters innovation and growth within the gaming community. On behalf of the ECA, I look forward to participating in the forthcoming law enforcement roundtable and to sharing the benefits of these learnings with our members,” said Erwin van Lambaart, Chairman of the European Casino Association.

Betting and Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst said: “This partnership marks a new chapter in our shared vision to build a world-class, trusted and sustainable betting and gaming industry. BGC members are rightly proud of their reputation as global leaders, and they know the power of collaboration. Working together with the AGA and ECA, I am confident our shared knowledge and expertise will be vital to bolstering safer gambling standards while tackling the threat of the growing and unsafe unregulated gambling black market in the UK.”

The first initiative under this MOU will be a law enforcement roundtable focused on combating illegal gambling. Scheduled for January 2025, this roundtable will bring together industry leaders, law enforcement officials, and regulators to discuss the impact of illegal gambling on legal operators, consumer safety, and the global financial system. The session will also explore strategies for enhancing cross-jurisdictional communication and developing actionable solutions to address these challenges.

American Gaming Association Senior Vice President of Government Relations Chris Cylke issued the following statement in response to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) introducing the SAFE Bet act, which would implement a “nationwide prohibition” on sports betting:

“Today’s regulated sports wagering operators are contributing billions in state taxes across the U.S., protecting consumers from dangerous neighborhood bookies and illegal offshore websites, and working diligently with over 5,000 state and tribal regulators and other stakeholders to ensure a commitment to responsibility and positive play. Six years into legal sports betting, introducing heavy-handed federal prohibitions is a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators who have dedicated countless time and resources to developing thoughtful frameworks unique to their jurisdictions, and have continued to iterate as their marketplaces evolve.”