Gambling in the United States

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In the United States, gambling is subject to a variety of legal restrictions. In 2008, gambling activities generated gross revenues (the difference between the total amounts wagered minus the funds or "winnings" returned to the players) of $92.27 billion in the United States.^[1]

The American Gaming Association, an industry trade group, states that gaming in the U.S. is a $240 billion industry, employing 1.7 million people in 40 states.^[2] In 2016, gaming taxes contributed $8.85 billion in state and local tax revenues.^[3]

In 2018, the United States Supreme Court declared a federal ban on sports gambling to be unconstitutional in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association.^[4] In the years that followed, dozens of states legalized sports gambling,^[5] and the sports gambling industry has recorded record profits year-by-year.^[6]

Critics of gambling argue it leads to increased political corruption, compulsive gambling, and higher crime rates. Others argue that gambling is a type of regressive tax on the individuals in local economies where gambling venues are located.