US Casino Visitation and Gambling Participation Reach Record Levels, AGA Survey Finds

The American Gaming Association (AGA) released its annual "American Attitudes Towards Gaming" report Thursday, revealing record-breaking casino visitation and gambling participation rates among US adults.

The survey, conducted online between July 22 and August 8 among 2,001 registered voters aged 21 and over, marks the first time in AGA polling history that more than half of American adults—52.7%—reported visiting a casino within the past year. Extrapolated to the broader population, this represents approximately 134 million Americans.

Casino visitation rates had fallen below 30% during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 but have climbed steadily over the past four years to reach this new milestone. The survey notes that casino visitation does not necessarily involve gambling.

Gambling Participation Hits All-Time High

Gambling participation across all forms also reached a record level, with 57% of respondents confirming they had participated in some form of gambling during the past 12 months. This includes activity at casinos, racetracks, sportsbooks, lottery locations, bars, taverns, truck stops, other non-casino venues, or online platforms.

The data shows gambling crosses political lines, with 58% of registered Republicans, 56% of Democrats, and 60% of Independents reporting participation in gambling activities over the past year.

Growing Acceptance of Legal Gambling

Public acceptance of gambling continues to rise alongside market expansion. The survey recorded a new high of 62% of respondents who view gambling as acceptable for themselves and others. An additional 28% find it acceptable for others but not for themselves, while only 10%—a record low—consider gambling unacceptable for anyone.

The casino gaming industry’s economic impact is increasingly recognized, with 77% of respondents believing the sector has a positive effect on the US economy. A significant 86% of those surveyed characterize the casino gaming industry as growing.

Responsible Gaming Programs Rated Effective

As gambling participation increases, responsible gaming programs appear to be gaining recognition. The survey found that 76% of respondents consider the casino and sports betting industry’s responsible gaming programs either very effective or somewhat effective.

Among active gambling participants, confidence in these programs runs even higher. Sports bettors and iGaming players both rated responsible gaming program effectiveness above 80%.

Sports Betting Support Remains Strong

Despite recent negative press coverage and publicized controversies surrounding sports betting, support for legal, regulated sports wagering remains high. Seventy-four percent of respondents support legal sports betting in their state, split nearly evenly between strong and moderate support. This represents a slight decrease from 75% in the 2024 survey.

The survey has a stated margin of error of +/- 2%.

Source: American Gaming Association