USA's Gambling Market Becomes Largest in the World, Faces Post-PASPA Changes and Challenges

It's not an overstatement to remark that, taking a good look at the work done over the past year or two, that the gambling scene in the United States of America is a far-cry from what it used to be.

The year behind was a tipping point that saw the US align itself with more liberal, thriving markets of the world such as Asia's Macau – heralding a change on its own soil just as much it became internationally oriented through global investment and foreign ventures.

Figures That Make USA #1

A land-based and online gaming boost produced rapid results and already put the US in the driving seat – according to analysis posted on our sister site, KeyToCasino...

... the nation's gambling market tops the list of thirty nations arranged according to contribution to gambling! H2 Gambling Capital consultancy agency conducted a global summary which shows that 2018 ended with a total gross gaming revenue of $107.99 billion in the USA.

A major share of this sum ($104.82 billion) was collected in land-based properties...

...but when it comes to online gambling alone, US supremacy suffers somewhat and dwindles down to 4th place with $3.17 billion (this segment is reigned by the UK with $7.54 billion).

Runner-up, China, contributed to global gaming revenue with $70.1 billion and is followed by third-placed Japan's $48.41 billion (with a needed reminder that Japan is only about to have its integrated casino resort market launch).

A More In-Depth Breakdown

The most distinguished event that sealed its course of transformation is last May's repeal of PASPA conducted by the US Supreme Court. This move opened up a Pandora's box of possibilities and opportunities but also risky adversities.

Some other findings posted by H2 reveal that:

• in 2018, the average American citizen spent circa $422 on gambling
• sports betting, which was legal only in Nevada and partially in several other states, is now liberalized in many other states, with more working on the matter
• online gambling (as well as sports betting) was made legal in Pennsylvania, whose 13-million residents market stands strong next to Nevada and New Jersey
• economic stability contributed significantly to increased and more willingness to spend in casinos – Bloomberg reports that consumer spending by household grew 3.8%

Looking at states individually, the biggest gambling gross win was, unsurprisingly, in Nevada, followed by New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

State by state average spend per adult reveals that matters at the top remain fairly the same, with Nevada leading the way...

...which is followed by West Virginia, Louisiana, South Dakota and Iowa.

The Timeline of the Industry's Biggest Shake Up

Upon enabling 47 states to determine their own fate regarding sports betting...

...the Supreme Court ended a long chain of events that led to such an outcome, that can be traced back to October 2014 and the maiden bill on lifting the PASPA ban off New Jersey (who initiated the anti-PASPA stance in 2012), that was signed by then Governor, Chris Christie.

The streak continued with Indiana State representative's bill that seeked authorization of sports betting in casinos in January 2015. In August of the same year, New Jersey's appeal was rejected...

...but as early as October, it was sent to re-hearing.

May 2017 saw the piece of legislation (GAME Act) which was the first attempt to repeal PASPA – prompting The Supreme Court to conduct another hearing of New Jersey's case against the Third Circuit Court of Appeals the following month.

In December 2017, the official introduction of the GAME Act to the House of Representatives took place...

...finally resulting in the grand finale, May 2018's striking down of PASPA!

Where Do We Head Next?

Survey provided by H2GC and further detailed on KeyToCasino, pre-PASPA landscape placed USA at 7th place among sports betting world markets, generating only $200 million in gross income per year.

Forecasts for the period before 2030 say that the United States will eventually become the world's leader in the sports betting vertical...

...and, looking at internal affairs, Nevada dropping to 7th position and overtaken by New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, New York and California.

By 2023, analysts predict, 19 states will have sports betting legalized.

Source:

“USA Enters Year 2019 as the Biggest Gambling Market”, keytocasino.com, February 5, 2019.

“USA Betting Industry Set for the Biggest Shake Up in Decades”, keytocasino.com, March 12, 2019.