Special Report
This is How Much Pennsylvania Spends on Gambling
Published:
Last Updated:
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.
There were 12 commercial casinos in Pennsylvania in 2019. That same year, patrons spent $3.4 billion on wagering, third most of any state. Casino spending was a boon for state finances, bringing in $1.5 billion in tax revenue, the most of any state in the country.
The Pennsylvania state lottery is even more popular than the state’s casinos, as lottery ticket spending totalled $4.2 billion in 2019. Combined spending on lottery tickets and in casinos totalled $7.6 billion in 2019, more than in every state except Nevada and New York.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Gaming Association, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states spending the most and least on gambling. States were ranked based on total spending on lottery tickets and in commercial casino gaming per adult 18 years and over in 2019. Gaming revenue refers to the amount earned by commercial casinos after winnings have been paid out to patrons.
Exactly what constitutes commercial casino revenue can vary by state. See the AGA report for a full methodological explanation.It is important to note that while there were 524 tribal casinos in the United States in 2019, these institutions are subject to different regulations than commercial casinos, and revenue from these establishments were not included in this story. Click here to see how much people spend on the lottery in every state.
Rank | State | Lottery and casino spending per adult; 2019 ($) | 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 |
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.