WASHINGTON, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. commercial
gaming revenue topped $11 billion in
Q1 2021, matching Q3 2019 as the industry's highest-grossing
quarter ever, according to the American Gaming Association's (AGA)
Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. The revenue total marks a
4.1 percent increase over the industry's pre-pandemic performance
in Q1 2019 and is a 17.7 percent increase over Q1 2020, when the
entire gaming industry shut down in March due to COVID-19.
Commercial gaming's strong Q1 revenue numbers signify an
accelerating recovery for the industry, with Q1 2021 revenue up
21.1 percent over Q4 2020. Gains in gaming revenue were largely
driven by the industry's performance in March, the highest-grossing
revenue month in history for U.S. commercial gaming.
More than half of states with commercial casinos saw quarterly
gaming revenue increases over Q1 2019, with several states
reporting record quarters.
"Today's report shows gaming's comeback is ahead of schedule,"
said AGA President and CEO Bill
Miller. "Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our industry has
faced numerous challenges head-on while still reopening responsibly
and providing a safe, exciting environment for customers."
Despite significant COVID-mandated restrictions on casino
capacity and amenities across the country, traditional
brick-and-mortar casino games generated 90 percent of their Q1 2019
revenue, with March 2021 revenue for
slots and table games coming within one percent of March 2019 totals.
Sports betting revenue for Q1 2021 saw a quarterly U.S. record
of $961 million, up 270 percent over
Q1 2020 and surpassing 2019's full-year total of $909 million. Boosted by the January launch
of online casinos in Michigan, iGaming generated $784 million nationwide in Q1 2021, more than
tripling U.S. iGaming revenue from Q1 2020.
"The gaming industry is generating these impressive results with
one hand tied behind our back as capacity and amenity restrictions
remain across the country," said Miller. "This is a testament to
gaming's hard work to help ensure our team members' safety and
well-being, which enabled us to reopen safely. We applied those
same standards to our customers, whose clear pent-up demand was met
by our responsible industry."
Background
- 30 states and the District of
Columbia featured operational commercial gaming markets in
Q1 2021, including casino gaming, sports betting and iGaming.
- By the end of Q1, 454 (97.8%) of 464 commercial casinos in the
U.S. were open. While some states had returned to full capacity,
most U.S. casinos were still operating with capacity restrictions
ranging from 25-75%.
- COVID-related restrictions on casino capacity and amenities
vary on a state and local level. AGA's COVID-19 casino tracker is
tracking casino capacity restrictions on a state-by-state
basis.
About the AGA
The American Gaming Association is the premier national
trade group representing the $261 billion U.S. casino industry,
which supports 1.8 million jobs nationwide. AGA members include
commercial and tribal casino operators, suppliers and other
entities affiliated with the gaming industry. It is the mission of
the AGA to achieve sound policies and regulations consistent with
casino gaming's modern appeal and vast economic contributions.
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SOURCE American Gaming Association