As new categories and states enter the seemingly never-ending market, casino income in the US keeps rising. 

In the second quarter of 2025, gamers lost $19.44 billion, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). Sports betting, iGaming, and gaming from land-based and riverboat casinos and racinos are all sources of income. Revenue from tribal activities, lotteries, unregulated gaming (such skill games), offshore gaming websites, and sweepstakes platforms are not included in the total.

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the second quarter was $19.44 billion, up 9.8% from the previous year. In addition to being the highest-grossing Q2 revenue report in the history of legal commercial gambling in the US, the April–June period was the industry's eighth straight quarter of year-over-year GGR growth.

Every Vertical Experiences Gains

According to the AGA study, traditional in-person casino gambling wins from electronic tables, live-dealer table games, and slot machines increased by 2.8% in the second quarter. Nearly two-thirds of the commercial gaming business was made up of $12.82 billion in retail sales.

With their online and physical sportsbooks, oddsmakers made $3.92 billion, a 20.6% profit. This year's second quarter was the best for sportsbooks ever.

Online casinos, which are only permitted in seven states, brought in $2.6 billion in GGR. That was a 32.3% increase over the previous year.

"U.S. commercial gaming revenue growth accelerated in the second quarter with continued growth across all verticals,” the AGA release read.

State regulatory disclosures are the source of the data. With the exception of North Carolina, almost all 38 states with commercial gaming recorded revenue gains in the second quarter. There is only commercial sports betting in North Carolina.

Over the course of the three months, commercial gaming revenue exceeded $1 billion in five states. Three states—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan—have legal iGaming, and all five have permitted internet sports betting.

Q2 Richest Commercial Gaming States (GGR/YoY Growth)

1. Nevada — $3.85 billion — 0.3%
2. Pennsylvania — $1.91 billion — 16.1%
3. New Jersey — $1.73 billion — 14.6%
4. New York — $1.45 billion — 11.1%
5. Michigan — $1.2 billion — 18.3%

Concerns and Industry Growth 

It looks like 2025 will be another year of unheard-of gaming. In 2024, commercial GGR hit a record $72 billion, setting a new all-time high for the industry for the third year in a row.

GGR has increased by an additional 8% to $38.43 billion over the first half of 2025. The majority of the nation's other significant casino and sports betting sectors continue to enjoy GGR growth, despite worries in Las Vegas.

From January to June, traditional GGR increased by 2%, sports betting winnings increased by 16.5%, and iGaming increased by 29.7%.

The rise of betting platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket, and Robinhood is one issue facing the sector. By providing contracts on player performances and game outcomes (props) that they market as investment instruments, those platforms are attempting to break into the sports betting market.

Prediction platforms feel they have the legal right to offer the sports contracts nationwide because these derivative contracts are governed at the federal level.