The American Gaming Association (AGA) has reported that US commercial gaming revenue hit $13.89bn (£10.26bn/€11.99bn) in the third quarter of 2021, marking the second record-breaking quarter in a row.
The results were recorded by the AGA’s commercial gaming tracker.
The second quarter results came in at $13.64bn, meaning that revenue grew by 1.8% when compared to Q2. Compared to novel coronavirus-(Covid-19)-hit Q3 of 2020, revenue rose by 53.8%.
This Q3 revenue added to the overall revenue total for the year, bringing it to $38.67bn, up significantly from 2020’s total.
“Two straight quarters of record gaming revenue is an incredible accomplishment in any context, let alone after the most challenging year in industry history,” said AGA president and CEO, Bill Miller.
“Our recovery is not a flash in the pan, but rather a sustained result of our leadership in responsible reopening, world-class entertainment offerings and widespread favorability.”
Online gaming also set a record this quarter, growing 4.1% from Q2 2021 to $938.6m in Q3.
Sports betting rose rapidly year-on-year, by 153.1%, hitting revenue of $886.5m this quarter. However when compared to Q2, handle decreased slightly, from $11.10bn in the previous quarter to $11.0bn in Q3.
Elsewhere, traditional gaming – which encompasses slot and table games- set a new quarterly record of $12.05bn. This was a 1.7% increase quarter-on-quarter.
Slot games generated $9.56bn of the total traditional gaming revenue, while table games set a new record with $2.49bn.
Out of the 25 states with commercial casinos, 10 set new revenue records. This includes Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, which were the four highest grossing states in 2019.
“With brick-and-mortar gaming setting records, the expansion into new verticals, and domestic and international tourism recovering, the industry is in a strong position for a full recovery,” continued Miller.
“I’m confident that the return of meetings, conventions and international travel will further accelerate gaming’s recovery in 2022.”