The American gaming industry has always taken pride in supporting our communities. Now, as we’re well on our way to a third consecutive year of record-breaking revenue, our impact is more significant than ever. The American Gaming Association’s (AGA) new economic impact report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the profound contributions made by the gaming industry to communities nationwide.
Conducted by Oxford Economics, findings show the U.S. commercial and tribal gaming industry:
- Contributes $328.6 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
- Supports 1.8 million jobs and $104 billion of wages and salaries across the country.
- Generates $52.7 billion in tax revenue to federal, state and local governments.
These numbers have a tangible impact on American communities. The nearly $53 billion in taxes generated by the gaming industry provides critical funding for local public programs and services, including education, infrastructure and economic development, as well as supplemental revenue for state general funds.
Moreover, America’s gaming industry directly employs more than 700,000 people in the U.S., accounting for more than one in 33 leisure and hospitality jobs. That’s also more jobs than the air transportation, postal service or motion picture and video sectors.
What’s driving gaming’s record impact? At least part of this growth stems from the widespread acceptance and enthusiastic embrace of gaming by Americans. These trends are convincingly corroborated by the recent American Attitudes survey conducted by AGA.
More Americans than ever engaged with the gaming industry over the past 12 months, including:
- Nearly half of all American adults (49 percent) participating in some form of gambling in the past year, either in-person or online.
- 102 million American adults (41 percent) visiting a casino for gambling or other entertainment purposes in the past year.
Importantly for sustained industry growth, survey results show the increase in casino visitation is being driven by an influx of younger adults, with the average age of casino-goers falling for four consecutive years—from nearly 50 years old in 2019 to 42 years old in 2023.
Bringing it all together, Americans are taking note of gaming’s contributions. Nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of American adults say that the industry has a positive impact on the overall U.S. economy.
Furthermore, gaming’s economic impact is recognized across various dimensions, whether it be through boosting tourism and diversifying entertainment and dining options (83 percent) or creating jobs and investments that are firmly rooted in the U.S. and cannot be outsourced (79 percent). Overall, Americans identify job creation as the most significant benefit that the casino gaming industry brings, with 73 percent ranking it among the top benefits, followed by tourism attraction (61 percent) and casino taxes (57 percent).
From the world-class entertainment our industry is providing to gaming’s record popularity, none of this was more evident than at Global Gaming Expo 2023 this October. Gaming suppliers and operators are continuing to invest in innovation, and our industry has never been more committed to responsible leadership.
Guided by these core principles, gaming’s positive impact on our communities is poised for further expansion—a testament to the strength of our industry and something we can all continue to be proud of.
