Casinos contribute more than half of nation’s $157B in 2022 gaming revenue

Tribal and commercial casinos combined for $91 billion in gaming revenue in 2022, 58 percent of the total. The figure rose to $98 billion, or 63 percent of the overall figure, when certain retail and online gaming activities associated with casinos were factored into the mix.

There were 33 states with commercial casinos and 29 states with tribal casinos in 2022, according to the American Gaming Association. The Washington, D.C., trade organization said there are 14 states, including Nevada, with both commercial and tribal casinos.

Commercial casino revenue of $48.7 billion increased by 6.7 percent in 2022. Tribal casino revenue of $42.3 billion was a 6.6 percent increase over 2021.

Lotteries in 45 states combined for $35.5 billion in revenue in 2022, 23 percent of the overall total and the third-largest contributor behind commercial and tribal casinos. However, lottery revenue was down 1.3 percent from 2021.

Eilers & Krejcik principal Todd Eilers said the surprising figure was the combined revenue of $14.6 billion produced by online gaming. The total from casinos, poker, sports betting, internet lotteries and pari-mutuel racing was 9 percent of the overall total, up from 7 percent a year ago.

The firm broke out sports betting and found retail locations saw a 1.5 percent decline in revenue to $712 million. Online sports betting far exceeded physical sportsbooks with revenue of $6.9 billion in 2022, up 90.5 percent compared to 2021.

Revenue from U.S. slot machine route operations was $8.3 billion, an increase of 3.4 percent from 2021.

Eilers said revenue from Nevada routes was included in the total but the undisclosed figure was based on estimates. The Nevada Gaming Control Board does not break out revenue totals for restricted gaming operations, which cover locations with 15 or fewer slot machines.

By Howard Stutz