Special Report
This is How Much Massachusetts Spends on Gambling
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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.
Massachusetts is one of only four states where spending on casino and lottery gaming topped $1,000 per adult in the state. As of the end of 2019, there were three casinos operating in the state that reported a combined revenue of $718.5 million — a 163% increase from the previous year. The nation-leading increase was driven by the June opening of a casino just outside of Boston.
Despite the burgeoning popularity of casino gambling in the state , lottery games remain the far more popular option. Massachusetts residents spent $5.5 billion on lotto tickets in 2019, which, when adjusting for population, is more than in every other state in the country.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Gaming Association, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states spending the most and least on gambling. States were ranked based on total spending on lottery tickets and in commercial casino gaming per adult 18 years and over in 2019. Gaming revenue refers to the amount earned by commercial casinos after winnings have been paid out to patrons.
Exactly what constitutes commercial casino revenue can vary by state. See the AGA report for a full methodological explanation.It is important to note that while there were 524 tribal casinos in the United States in 2019, these institutions are subject to different regulations than commercial casinos, and revenue from these establishments were not included in this story. Click here to see how much people spend on the lottery in every state.
Rank | State | Lottery and casino spending per adult; 2019 ($) | 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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