The American Gaming Association said illegal gambling in the USA generates annual stakes of more than USD 500bn. It estimated operators’ annual revenue at USD 511bn, profits above USD 44bn and lost government tax revenue of USD 13.3bn.
The estimates quantify the scale of unlicensed gambling across US online casino, sports betting and gaming machine markets.
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The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing on campus sports betting at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., a media report said. Lawmakers will examine student gambling, harassment of student-athletes and the legality of college player prop bets.
A hearing on gambling on college campuses is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development confirmed. The examination will cover gambling by students, abuse directed at student-athletes and whether college player prop bets are legal.
A study estimates that illegal betting generates approximately US$50bn globally. The report also says international illegal gambling networks exploit vulnerable consumers in the UK.
The American Gaming Association estimated that wagering through legal US sportsbooks on the upcoming NFL season will reach $30bn. The forecast is 8.5% above last season’s estimated handle and includes preseason games, futures, the playoffs and Super Bowl LX in February 2026.
The American Gaming Association said illegal operators account for 31.9% of the US gambling market, with annual wagers of $673.6 billion. Its analysis estimates $15.3 billion in lost state gaming tax revenue each year and says the illegal market has grown 22% since its 2022 report.
A report commissioned by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) estimates that illegal offshore operators generated 74% of US gross gambling revenue in 2024. It puts total revenue at $90.1 billion, with $67.1 billion attributed to illegal operators and $23 billion to legal platforms. The report says illegal operators’ revenue grew 64% year on year, compared with 26% for licensed platforms.