April’s monthly report by the American Gaming Association makes one thing clear: Americans are gambling more than ever.
According to the AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker, gambling revenue in the country grew from $3.1 billion in April 2019 to $4.4 billion in April 2021, a 25.1% increase.
Last year’s figures were not used due to nationwide casino closings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After a year of COVID-related shutdowns and capacity restrictions, there’s significant pent-up demand for the exciting entertainment that only gaming can provide,” said AGA Vice President of Strategic Communications Casey Clark via email.
The combined revenue from traditional casino gaming, sports betting, and igaming in April was the second-highest month ever, trailing only the $4.8 billion wagered in March 2021. The 2% difference between the months was due to a 31.7% decrease in sports betting in April. That decline is attributable to the NCAA basketball tournament, March Madness, traditionally the most wagered-on sporting event in the U.S.
April gaming revenues benefited from the return of full occupancy in eight of the 25 states that permit casino-style gaming. Of the 463 commercial casinos in the U.S., about 80% were still limited in April to between 75% and 25% capacity. There were also limitations on gaming capacity (the number of players at table games) and amenities.
Combined revenue from igaming and sports betting accounted for approximately 12.5% of gaming revenues in April, a slight decrease from 14.8% in March. Revenue from igaming was $299.9 million in April. Sports betting revenue was $240.3 million.
Revenue from slot and table games in April was $3.79 billion, outperforming the previous month by 0.9% and just 1.7% percent shy of a record.
Clark noted that revenue for 2021’s first quarter reached a record $11 billion, exceeding industry expectations.
“If this trend continues, this could be the best-performing year in gaming history,” Clark said. “While this indicates that we are on the road to recovery, there is still a long way to go as conventions and meetings businesses, entertainment options and more gradually return to compliment strong gaming revenue.”
