The 465 commercial casinos operating in the United States at the end of 2019 reported a combined revenue of $43.6 billion — an all-time high. Gambling in the United States is by no means limited to casinos, either. All but six states had lottery games in 2019, and lottery ticket sales totalled $81.6 billion that year.
Between both lotteries and commercial casinos, Americans and tourists spent $125.2 billion on gambling in 2019 — or about $491 for every adult in the country. Of course, gambling laws, which can restrict gambling opportunities, vary by state, as does interest in gambling. And residents of some states spend far more on lottery tickets and at casinos than others.
Following the implementation of a constitutional amendmendment in November 2018, Arkansas became the 25th state to legalize commercial casinos. A total of three commercial casinos operated in the state in 2019 and reported $426.5 in revenue, generating $65.5 million in tax revenue.
One decade before commercial casinos opened in the state, Arkansas created a lottery. Adults 18 and over can buy lotto tickets, including instant games like scratch offs. Combined lotto ticket sales and casino revenue totalled $942 million in Arkansas in 2019, or $406 for every adult resident.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Gaming Association, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states spending the most and least on gambling. States were ranked based on total spending on lottery tickets and in commercial casino gaming per adult 18 years and over in 2019. Gaming revenue refers to the amount earned by commercial casinos after winnings have been paid out to patrons.
Exactly what constitutes commercial casino revenue can vary by state. See the AGA report for a full methodological explanation.It is important to note that while there were 524 tribal casinos in the United States in 2019, these institutions are subject to different regulations than commercial casinos, and revenue from these establishments were not included in this story. Click here to see how much people spend on the lottery in every state.
| Rank | State | Lottery and casino spending per adult; 2019 ($) | Lottery ticket sales per adult ($) | Commercial casino consumer spending per adult ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 5,035 | N/A | 5,035 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 1,594 | 813 | 781 |
| 3 | Delaware | 1,370 | 784 | 586 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 1,121 | 991 | 130 |
| 5 | New Jersey | 972 | 473 | 500 |
| 6 | Mississippi | 966 | N/A | 966 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 880 | 440 | 440 |
| 8 | Maryland | 839 | 466 | 373 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 837 | 147 | 690 |
| 10 | Iowa | 772 | 161 | 611 |
| 11 | New York | 750 | 573 | 177 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 743 | 410 | 333 |
| 13 | Indiana | 678 | 243 | 435 |
| 14 | Missouri | 658 | 295 | 363 |
| 15 | Michigan | 635 | 449 | 185 |
| 16 | Ohio | 557 | 344 | 213 |
| 17 | Georgia | 525 | 525 | N/A |
| 18 | Connecticut | 470 | 470 | N/A |
| 19 | South Carolina | 456 | 456 | N/A |
| 20 | Illinois | 439 | 302 | 137 |
| 21 | South Dakota | 431 | 266 | 165 |
| 22 | Florida | 425 | 392 | 33 |
| 23 | Arkansas | 406 | 222 | 184 |
| 24 | Maine | 405 | 273 | 132 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | 332 | 332 | N/A |
| 26 | Oregon | 326 | 326 | N/A |
| 27 | North Carolina | 325 | 325 | N/A |
| 28 | Colorado | 325 | 140 | 185 |
| 29 | Virginia | 324 | 324 | N/A |
| 30 | Kentucky | 307 | 307 | N/A |
| 31 | Kansas | 302 | 114 | 188 |
| 32 | Tennessee | 289 | 289 | N/A |
| 33 | Texas | 274 | 274 | N/A |
| 34 | Vermont | 273 | 273 | N/A |
| 35 | California | 241 | 241 | N/A |
| 36 | New Mexico | 239 | 88 | 150 |
| 37 | Idaho | 199 | 199 | N/A |
| 38 | Arizona | 178 | 178 | N/A |
| 39 | Wisconsin | 149 | 149 | N/A |
| 40 | Minnesota | 147 | 147 | N/A |
| 41 | Washington | 135 | 135 | N/A |
| 42 | Oklahoma | 127 | 81 | 47 |
| 43 | Nebraska | 123 | 123 | N/A |
| 44 | Montana | 76 | 76 | N/A |
| 45 | Wyoming | 68 | 68 | N/A |
| 46 | North Dakota | 58 | 58 | N/A |
| 47 | Alabama | – | N/A | N/A |
| 48 | Alaska | – | N/A | N/A |
| 49 | Hawaii | – | N/A | N/A |
| 50 | Utah | – | N/A | N/A |
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