Anyone who had any doubts about the ongoing success of commercial gaming in the United States will surely have to rethink their attitude after recent numbers showing that 2022 saw the casino industry smash through the $60 billion barrier in terms of their revenue.

The report from the American Gaming Association shows a marked increase on the numbers for 2021, where the total reached a very reasonable $53 billion. 

It is worth noting that the iGaming industry, i.e., online casino activity, brought in around $5 billion, which is still pretty strong but a fraction of what is still being made in traditional brick-and-mortar in-person action.

It is perhaps no surprise that it’s slot machines that rule the roost, with over half the total revenue made by casinos coming from this tranche. This is perhaps even more impressive when you consider the relatively low overhead costs of this type of gaming, as opposed to live table games, for instance.

Sports betting is very much on the up also, representing $7.5 billion of the overall revenue pie, which is due to the ongoing expansion of legal sports betting across the United States, which is moving far faster than online casino legalization, which is still only legal in six states.

The AGA believes a significant factor in the increase in revenue comes down to Americans moving away from illegal gambling markets, a point raised by CEO Bill Miller, who stated;

“To carry our momentum into 2023, the AGA remains focused on combating the illegal market,”

Eighty-four million Americans visited casinos across the country in 2022, which is a very high number and can be perhaps partly down to the fact that many who enjoy the pastime had not been able to during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and therefore returned with aplomb once they were given the all clear.