Online gambling and sports betting might be new to Americans, but the rest of the world has already gotten used to them in the past two decades. It’s a bit strange to see the USA late for any party, as it is usually the country that sets the trends for the rest of the world.
That said, the latest online gambling statistics indicate that the USA has already risen through the ranks, and it’s the country with the second-largest market for online gambling in the world, topped only by the UK.
Check out the stats below to find detailed information on online gambling stateside and how it compares to the rest of the world.
Top 10 Online Gambling Statistics and Facts
Online gambling has reached a market size of $81.08 billion in 2022.
Sports betting accounts for 40.31% of all online gambling activity.
The United States is the second largest internet gambling market in the world, generating revenues of $11 billion in 2021.
6% of Americans placed a sports bet online between July 2021 and July 2022.
17% of Americans said they were likely to play slots online in July 2021.
23% of Americans between 25 and 34 say they were likely to play table or card games in an online casino in July 2021.
74.85% of the online bets in the USA are placed from PCs.
28% of Americans who bet on sports online place wagers smaller than $10 per bet.
Americans aged between 31 and 40 account for 36.64% of all sports bets placed online in the US.
6% of American online gamblers say they need to gamble just to feel the excitement.
Online Gambling Industry Statistics
Online gambling has reached a market size of $81.08 billion in 2022.
Online gambling is an industry on the rise, and data indicates that between 2021 and 2022, it has grown from $73.42 billion to $81.08 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.4%.
Future projections are that the industry will continue its growth in the following years and reach a figure of $115.13 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 9.2%.
(Research and Markets)
The United States is the second largest online gambling market in the world, generating a revenue of $11 billion in 2021.
While online gambling is certainly large in the US, in the UK, it is even more popular. The UK is the largest internet gambling market worldwide, generating $12.5 billion in 2021.
Australia is in the third spot, with a significantly lower figure of $6.5 billion, followed by Italy, with $4.5 billion, and France, with $3.8 billion.
Online gambling generated $3.6 billion in Germany, $2.6 billion in Canada, and $2.1 billion in Sweden, according to the latest statistics on online gambling revenue by country.
(Statista)
Sports betting accounts for 40.31% of all online gambling activity.
The most recent data suggests that betting on sports online is more popular than playing online casino games. While 40.31% of all online gambling activity is placing wagers on sports games, online casinos account for 32.14% of it.
Playing the lottery accounts for 13.27% of all online gambling activity, playing online poker for 6.12%, online bingo for 4.59%, and the remaining 3.57% is spread across multiple other gambling activities.
(Innovecs Games)
Online Gambling in the US
6% of Americans placed a sports bet online between July 2021 and July 2022.
According to a recent survey, betting money on sports online is not as popular as other forms of gambling in the US. While only 6% of Americans have placed a sports bet online through a betting or casino app or website, 8% say they have done it in person at a casino, racetrack, or betting kiosk.
However, the largest percentage of 15% of Americans say they have gambled on a sports game with their friends and family in a private betting pool, fantasy league, or other casual bets, despite the recent rise of online gambling.
(Pew Research)
17% of Americans said they were likely to play slots online in July 2021.
On the other hand, another 15% said they would play table or card games in an online casino in the same month, which indicates that online slots are the slightly more popular option for American gamblers.
The lottery is by far the most popular gambling form in the US, with 37% of Americans saying they would likely play it in July 2021, followed by betting in a casino, with 21%.
Online gambling trends reveal that lucky draw tickets are the least popular option, with only 14% of Americans saying they would play them in the same period.
(YouGov)
23% of Americans between 25 and 34 say they were likely to play table or card games in an online casino in July 2021.
The stats show that this age group is the only one that prefers table and card games over online slots, as the percentage of Americans between 25 and 34 that were likely to play online slots in the same period is slightly lower at 21%.
In comparison, online casino stats point to 16% of Americans between 18 and 24 that were likely to play online slots and 11% who said the same about card and table games.
Data shows a similar discrepancy favoring slots over table and card games among Americans between 35 and 44 (22% vs 18%), between 45 and 54 (16% vs 10%), and over 55 years old (11% vs 10%).
(YouGov)
74.85% of the online bets in the USA are placed from PCs.
Gambling on the go may be on the rise, but online gambling stats reveal that almost three in every four sports bettors in the US place their wagers from their desktops.
Mobile gamblers account for 25.07% of all bets, while a minuscule percentage of only 0.08% place bets from their tablets.
Data further reveals that 34% of gamblers who use a mobile app to gamble use it to place bets on sports, 33% to play poker, 30% to play slots, and 23% use it to play table games.
(Soft Swiss, NCPG Survey)
23% of American gamblers use DraftKings sportsbook to place bets online.
According to the results from a recent survey, DraftKings holds the largest online gambling market share of all sportsbooks operating in the US. Caesars sportsbook and PointsBet are tied for the number two spot with an equal share of 19%, followed by BetMGM and FanDuel, with 18% of American gamblers saying they use them to place bets online.
(Civic Science)
Statistics About American Online Gamblers
53% of Americans aged between 21 and 29 say they bet on sports online.
The percentage of US adults over 21 who bet on sports online has increased from 14% to 18% between August and December 2021.
Online gambling statistics show that the above figure is consistent among both genders, and an equal portion of 18% of women and men over 21 in the US say they bet on sports online.
The 21 to 29 age group has by far the largest share of Americans who bet on sports online, with over half of them saying they do so.
In comparison, only 25% of Americans between 30 and 44 and 5% of those older than 44 say they bet on sports online.
(Civic Science)
Americans aged between 31 and 40 account for 36.64% of all sports bets placed online in the US.
According to the latest internet gambling statistics, even though the above age group accounts for the largest portion of bets placed, the money they wager only accounts for 18.81% of all money wagered in online sportsbooks.
Gamblers aged between 41 and 50, on the other hand, place 26.34% of all online bets stateside, but their wagers account for a whopping 64.23% of all money wagered.
(Soft Swiss)
28% of Americans who bet on sports online place wagers smaller than $10 per bet.
Internet gambling statistics show that another 26% only wager between $10 and $25 per bet, which means $25 is the upper wagering limit for more than half, or 53%, of Americans who bet on sports online.
Furthermore, 17% of American online bettors wager between $25 and $50, equal 9% portions wager between $50 and $100 and $100 and $250, and 11% place wagers of over $250.
(Civic Science)
6% of American online gamblers say they need to gamble just to feel the excitement.
Brick-and-mortar casino statistics show that the percentage of offline gamblers who agree with this statement is considerably lower at 1%.
Data on online gambling in the US indicates that certain problematic gambling behaviors are slightly more likely to arise among online gamblers. Namely, 9% of online gamblers say they lied to hide their gambling, while only 1% of offline gamblers say they did the same.
Additionally, another 9% of online gamblers say they had felt restless or irritable when they tried to cut down on their online gambling, while only 2% of offline gamblers say the same applies to them.
(NCPG Survey)
There was a 9% increase in heavy gambling in the US during the pandemic
A study on the impact of the pandemic on gambling addiction noted that the proportion with great involvement in online gambling changes from 2% before to 11% after pandemic breakout.
(ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The Summary
Online gambling relies on two things people love, entertainment and convenience, so there is no surprise why the online casino business is so lucrative. The industry is constantly and rapidly growing, and it’s only a matter of time before it crosses the $100 billion mark.
Even though they have different preferences and gambling habits, a considerable portion of Americans from all ages gamble one way or another. Sports betting and slots seem to be the most popular choices, though card and table games have plenty of fans as well.
However, the ease of access to gambling online could potentially give life to some negative behaviors as well, so all online casinos must advocate and enforce responsible gambling.
Practice Responsible Gambling
At BestGamblingSites we want our readers to enjoy betting on sports and stay safe when doing so. To stay safe when betting we advise you to:
Establish a budget: Set yourself a financial limit before you start betting. Adhere to this budget strictly and do not chase losses.
Manage time wisely: Set specific time boundaries for betting. If you're betting a lot, then take a break. Most UK betting platforms offer timeout options to assist with this.
Emotionless decision-making: To ensure responsible gambling, it is crucial to detach emotions from the betting process. Recognise that luck plays a role, and that heightened emotions can lead to poor choices. Take a pause.
Avoid pursuing losses: Although betting losses are undesirable, resist the urge to chase them. Doing so can exacerbate errors in judgment. Most UK betting platforms offer payment caps to assist with this.
Understand the risks: Gain comprehensive knowledge about the potential risks associated with betting. Acknowledge that the odds generally favour the house and approach betting as entertainment, rather than a reliable source of income.
Do not borrow to bet: Refrain from borrowing funds for betting purposes. This practice can lead to financial distress and a cycle of debt. Only utilise disposable income for betting.
Seek assistance when necessary: If you or someone you know is grappling with gambling addiction, do not hesitate to seek support from dedicated organisations or helplines. These resources provide valuable assistance, guidance, and access to relevant tools for overcoming gambling-related challenges.
| Support Site Name | Website |
|---|---|
| GambleAware | www.gambleaware.co.uk |
| National Gambling Helpline | www.begambleaware.org |
| Gamblers Anonymous UK | www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk |
| GamCare | www.gamcare.org.uk |
| Gambling Therapy | www.gamblingtherapy.org |
| Gamstop | www.gamstop.co.uk |
| Gambling Commission | www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk |
