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Americans are gambling more than ever in 2025, with a rising interest in sports betting and casinos.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) has shared new research that shows Americans have been gambling more than ever over the last twelve months. That’s driven by a rising interest in both sports betting and casinos.
Specifically, polling shows that 57% of people in America participated in some form of gambling in the past year, with 30% gambling at a physical casino and 21% placing a sports bet. In terms of real numbers, 134 million American adults visited a casino for gambling or other entertainment purposes in the same time period. That’s the highest level of casino visitation on record.
“These results underscore a sustainable foundation for the American gaming industry, reflecting strong consumer confidence in a state-regulated market as a safe and trusted form of entertainment,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.
Shifting attitudes towards gambling among Americans
It’s not just a rising interest in gambling, but also shifting perspectives from the American public. The AGA reports a “record level of engagement”, as nine in ten Americans find casino gambling acceptable for either themselves or others. Moreover, nearly two-thirds of Americans now find gambling to be personally acceptable.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans also support legal, regulated sports betting in their state, with bipartisan approval in general. 78% view sports betting as a form of entertainment. This comes at an interesting time for the industry, when companies like prediction markets are pushing into the world of sports betting.
With more and more operators offering sports betting or adjacent services, it’s also worth noting that 90% of iGaming consumers list legality as an important factor when deciding where to play. Despite that, more than 40% of gamblers have difficulty identifying legal platforms. The AGA highlighted this point as a sign that its efforts to promote responsible gambling are as important as ever.
“We will continue to build on this momentum by expanding the legal market, strengthening responsibility, and ensuring gaming delivers for players and communities alike,” said Miller.
Earlier this year, the AGA found that nearly one-third of the US market consisted of illicit gaming, with the June report revealing that 74% of the market’s revenue was directed to offshore platforms.
Featured image: Pexels
