The American Gaming Association (AGA) held a webinar to discuss the gaming industry's financial performance for 2024, which included a total gaming revenue (GGR) of $71.9 billion (€69 billion), a year-over-year increase of 7.5%. Despite AGA celebrating the continued growth, President and CEO Bill Miller also affirmed that the success of legal gaming has made the U.S. a "target" for illegal gaming operations.
Miller stated that operators of vertical industries such as lottery casinos and offshore sports betting "exploited consumer confusion" and "threatened to undermine the public trust that the gaming industry has built over the years among U.S. residents." To address these concerns, Miller estimated that AGA would invest €453.3 million in responsible gaming programs throughout 2024 as fears about the industry intensify.
The AGA President and CEO also spoke about the new government taking office, as the association is optimistic about finding ways to collaborate with the team of officials from President Donald Trump's current administration. Miller mentioned the federal relief provided by the Trump administration during the Covid-19 pandemic and how these aids have "proven the positive role of gaming in the U.S. economy."
Miller expressed that many political leaders are still "unaware of the risks posed by illegal gambling activities," but the American Gaming Association has been working with regulators to inform the government and a "deeply divided Congress" about the dangers illegal gambling could pose to residents.
The American Gaming Association also highlighted the "resilience" shown by many of the most popular gaming regions in the U.S., including the Las Vegas Strip, which saw a decline in revenue compared to the previous year but still maintained its status as the largest commercial revenue market.
Notably, during the full year of 2024, traditional casinos' GGR once again became the main source of revenue in the U.S., with reported GGR figures of €46.8 billion.
When asked about the expected revenue from tribal gaming in 2024, AGA's Vice President of Research David Forman estimated that if tribal contributions were included, the total gaming revenue for 2024 would rise to nearly €110.4 billion. This figure would represent tribal gaming revenues exceeding €38.4 billion, including about €15.4 billion in gaming tax revenues returned directly to the tribes and their respective lands.
Forman also discussed the decline in revenue in the Las Vegas Strip area, but he emphasized that despite the decline in the most popular areas, revenue in Reno/Sparks, downtown Las Vegas, and other areas of Nevada still saw growth.
One issue Miller raised was the lack of significant growth in physical casinos, with 30% of the total reported gaming revenue for 2024 generated through iGaming. While Miller noted that some in the industry are concerned about a "cannibalization" effect, many states have yet to legalize iGaming because it is "appreciated" by traditional land-based establishments.
Miller emphasized that although many states have managed to legalize some form of sports betting since the repeal of PASPA a few years ago, only a few states allow iGaming services to be offered to residents.
