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The official reports for 2025 are in, and the U.S. commercial gaming industry had a year for the record books.
We are talking about $78.7 billion in revenue, a nearly 10% increase from the year before. While land-based casinos are still holding their own as the backbone of the industry, the real fireworks are happening on our smartphone screens. Yep, online casinos are officially the cool kids at the party, bringing in cash faster than you can say “jackpot.”
According to Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association:
“Legal commercial gaming in the United States has delivered exceptional results for consumers, operators, and the communities we serve. These record revenues and tax contributions demonstrate the broad appeal of regulated gaming markets and why strong state oversight remains essential as our industry evolves.”
The Digital Gold Rush is ON
Back in the day, when you thought “casino,” you pictured bright lights, clinking coins, and maybe a buffet. Not anymore. The story of 2025 is all about the digital climb.
Online casinos saw revenue explode, growing by almost 28%. This isn’t just good news for the apps; it is a win for state budgets too.
Tax contributions from these digital bets totaled $2.59 billion. It turns out that letting people play online blackjack from their couch is a very effective way to fund public projects.
Let’s say you throw all the money from traditional casinos, sports betting, and everything else into one big pile; online gaming now makes up about 35% of the entire industry’s revenue.
The 2025 Breakdown
iGaming is the “growth child,” but it’s not the only one paying the bills.
Here is the breakdown of how the rest of the gambling world performed in 2025, from the old-school slot floors to the digital parlay cards.
- Land-Based Casinos: $50.94 Billion in revenue (2.3% increase over 2024)
- Sports Betting: $16.96 Billion in revenue (22.8% increase over 2024)
Who’s Joining the Bandwagon Next?
While the record-breaking $78.7 billion revenue headline is a big feat, the real story is where the rest of that cash is coming from.
Right now, only a handful of states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan are living the full iGaming dream, but a few others are currently loitering by the entrance.
New York Senator Joseph Addabbo is back with bill SB 2164. Now that the “downstate” physical casino licenses are sorted, New York is looking at iGaming as the ultimate budget-fixer. They’ve seen their neighbors making bank, and they don’t want to be left behind.
Illinois, too, faces a chronic budget deficit; lawmakers are eyeing online casinos as a “break glass in case of emergency” revenue stream, and Maine, where iGaming was recently legalized, is in the “loading screen” phase right now. They are expected to officially launch its market in late 2026.
Meanwhile, the situation in Virginia is moving fast with two online casino bills (HB 161 and SB 124) currently in play. All eyes are on Governor Abigail Spanberger to see if she’ll play ball or use her veto power to keep the games offline.
If she comes on board, Virginia could become the newest hot spot for iGaming, adding even more fuel to the national revenue fire.
