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Despite industry expansion, US gamblers lost $157 billion in 2022, and casinos remain the dominant type of gambling.

In 2022, American gamblers lost about $157 billion. According to a count from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, a research company based in California that specializes in casino, iGaming, and lottery insights.

Since May 2018, when the US Supreme Court ruled that states can determine their own laws regarding sports betting, the legal gaming landscape in the US has undergone significant change. Since then, sports betting has been permitted in more than 30 states.
Online gaming also keeps growing. iGaming with interactive slot machines and table games is now legal in six states.

However, according to Eilers & Krejcik, traditional brick-and-mortar casinos maintained their dominance in 2022. As the most significant gaming sector, land-based casinos maintained their dominance as gross gaming revenue (GGR) from commercial and tribal casinos reached $91 billion, or 58%, in 2017. 

Total gross gaming revenue (GGR) for casinos, also known as "legacy gaming," was $98 billion when third-party partnerships that link online gaming and sports betting revenue to a physical casino are taken into account. Despite the numerous brand-new legal gaming options available to players today, casinos will still be responsible for nearly 63% of the $157 billion in net winnings in 2022.

Win at the casino rises

US citizens keep gambling and lose more money. And casinos continue to be the main winners.
A total of $48.7 billion was generated by commercial casinos in 2017 from slot machines, table games, and retail sports betting, a 6.7% increase from the previous year. Similar growth was seen at tribal casinos, where GGR increased 6.6% from 2021 to $42.3 billion.

There are commercial casinos in 33 states and tribal casinos in 29 states. There are casinos in 14 states that are both commercial and tribal.

After casino gamblers, lottery players suffered the greatest financial losses. After player winnings were paid out, the total lottery revenue for the past year was $35.5 billion.

The $35.5 billion won from draw and scratch-off games represented a 1.3% year-over-year decline, suggesting that increased gaming and more wagering options, whether they be online casinos, video gaming terminals inside convenience stores and truck stops, or mobile sports betting, may be threatening the lottery industry.

Industry is Growing Despite Difficult Times

With China's closer ties to Russia and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, inflation is still high and the stability of the global economy is precarious. Additionally, North Korea has threatened nuclear war.

However, a healthy labor market in the US supports consumer spending. This week, economic analysts at Bank of America reported that consumer spending appeared to have returned to normalcy in February, with credit and debit card spending per household increasing by 2.7% over the previous year.

''Positive consumer "fundamentals" continue to support spending. In spite of gradual withdrawals for middle- and lower-income households, measures of consumer health, such as the ratio of customer savings and checking account inflows to outflows, remain in reasonably good shape, according to the bank study.''

Nevada is the most crucial gaming market for the overall health of the US gaming industry. The most recent month to be reported, February, saw GGR surpass $1 billion for a record-breaking 24th straight month.