Sharing amazing numbers from its ‘Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker,’ the American Gaming Association (AGA) communicated a milestone for the industry in the United States. Year-to-date through October 2021, commercial gaming revenue rose to USD 43.43 billion, nearly tying the industry’s full-year record of USD 43.65 billion from 2019 and tracking 19.8% ahead of the same ten-month period in 2019. As some states have reported November numbers at time of publication, 2021 has officially passed 2019 full-year revenue record of USD 43.65 billion by reaching USD 43.68 billion in commercial gaming revenue. At the state level, 24 of 25 commercial gaming jurisdictions that were operational in October 2019 saw revenue grow from two years ago, with New Mexico staying flat (-0.7%).
After the first ten months of 2021, 11 of 25 commercial gaming states that were operational two years ago have already exceeded annual revenue from 2019, and an additional eight markets are outperforming the same period of that year. Six states (Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania and South Dakota) have surpassed previous full-year revenue records.
Combined revenue from traditional casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming was USD 4.75 billion in October 2021, the second highest monthly total ever, and an increase of 30.7% compared to October 2019. On a sequential basis, revenue was up 4.8% from September 2021. The industry has now surpassed USD 4 billion in monthly commercial gaming revenue for eight consecutive months. Prior to this year, monthly revenue had never topped USD 4 billion.
TRADITIONAL CASINOS ON A POSITIVE TREND
In October 2021, traditional gaming revenue again topped pre-pandemic levels by double digits, reaching USD 3.97 billion. U.S. casino slot game revenue hit USD 2.84 billion, up 16.0% over October 2019, while table games generated USD 831.2 million, an increase of 23.2% from two years ago. Between January 2021 and October 2021, traditional casino games generated USD 37.24 billion, up 5.8% from the same ten-month period in 2019. At the state level, brick-and-mortar casino revenue was up from 2019 in 23 of 25 states, with only minor declines coming in Michigan (-3.6%) and New Mexico which was essentially flat (-0.7%). Through October, 14 of 25 states have generated more traditional gaming revenue in 2021 compared to the same ten months in 2019.
Despite the end of the summer travel season, available visitation data shows no significant declines in casino admissions in October. Overall casinos admissions remain depressed compared to pre-pandemic levels in regional markets, yet the Las Vegas destination market continues to rebound, welcoming a pandemic-record 3.4 million visitors in October 2021. Meanwhile, consumers’ spend levels kept on surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In the five states with available data, average casino win per visitor was up between 18.5 and 44.9% compared to October 2019.
SPORTS BETTING AT RECORD LEVELS
Connecticut became the 34th state with commercial gaming after launching sports betting and iGaming in October 2021. Along with a packed sports calendar, this drove a record level of betting activity, as Americans wagered USD 7.05 billion on sports across 25 commercial sports betting jurisdictions. Through October, year-to-date total U.S. sports betting handle stands at USD 42.19 billion, nearly doubling the USD 21.57 billion wagered through October 2020 when 17 markets were live.
With some data yet to be reported, commercial sportsbooks held at least USD 407.7 million in October 2021, narrowly surpassing the previous monthly record of USD 405.0 million set in September 2021, while revenue from iGaming similarly reached an all-time high level of USD 357.3 million. Combined revenue from sports betting and iGaming accounted for 16.1% of total commercial gaming revenue in October, staying flat from September.