Online Casinos Grow in the US as Sports Betting Slows

The US commercial gambling sector earned a record $78.7 billion in 2025. However, 2026 data shows a shift beneath this growth.

Sports betting was sharply weaker for most of the first half of the year. In July, it received support from the World Cup. Online casino revenue continued to grow in double digits.

In the second quarter, sports betting revenue fell 0.2 percent, while the amount players staked rose 7.8 percent. This means operators kept a smaller share of the money wagered. In the same period, online casino revenue rose 16.5 percent. By the end of June, total US commercial gambling revenue reached $40.48 billion.

According to American Gaming Association data, sports betting revenue in July rose 27 percent year over year to $1.27 billion. Online casino grew 15.7 percent. According to the source, the market is moving from a fast-growing phase toward a mature sports betting market, alongside a strongly performing online casino segment.

The modern sports betting boom began in May 2018, when the Supreme Court opened the way for states to legalize betting on their own terms. Eight years later, locally licensed sports betting sites operate across most of the country. In 2025, $166.9 billion was wagered at legal commercial sports betting sites, and after winning bets were paid out, operators' revenue came to nearly $17 billion.

Michigan launched online casino and mobile sports betting in 2021. The state's gambling revenue rose from $638 million in 2020 to $4.19 billion in 2024.