GGB is committed to providing updated news and analysis on our weekly news site, GGBNews.com.

Illegal Gambling Costs Everyone

Illegal Gambling Costs Everyone

In December, the American Gaming Association released a study conducted by The Innovation Group, “Sizing the Illegal and Unregulated Gaming Markets in the United States.” Because of the nature of illegal gambling, it has always been difficult estimate the size, but by incorporating the data that is known with educated guesses, the estimates of illegal gambling are as accurate as possible. Illegal gambling is often referred to as the “gray market” because there are loopholes that allow unregulated gaming machines to operate in bars, restaurants, convenience stores, fraternity clubs and other locations. The study includes those unregulated machines along with illegal offshore wagering sites to come up with the final revenue estimates. At right, the chart at the top shows the huge tax dollars that these operations dodge by operating illegally. The bottom chart breaks down the illegal revenue divided by illegal sports betting, illegal iGaming and unregulated machines. To obtain a copy of the report, visit AmericanGaming.org.

    Recent Feature Articles

  • The Real Source of Success

    Playtech is looking to repeat its European success to become a preeminent supplier for North America’s embryonic iGaming market

  • Skill or Luck?

    States continue to battle unregulated “skill games,” and gaming associations continue to seek their ban, as a few states begin to regulate and tax the slot-like games

  • Changing Boundaries

    Fee-to-trust rule changes and their implications for tribal gaming

  • Everything is Bigger in Texas

    Will the biennial gambling debate finally bear fruit in the Lone Star State?

  • Aristocrat Tops Diverse Field in EKG Slot Awards

    While Aristocrat again took the top award as best overall slot supplier in the fifth EKG Slot Awards, its former dominance of the individual awards yielded to a more diverse field of winners.