On a regular basis, the American Gaming Association (AGA) and other authorities need to check the temperature of the people and their attitude towards gambling. Even if it might not affect you directly, it can be interesting to get a feel for what’s going on and if the industry as a whole is making progress.
A brand new report by the AGA paints a picture of how the appeal of gambling continues to grow as the industry itself expands.
American Gaming Association
More Americans Enjoy Gambling as Entertainment
Over the past 12 months, more Americans than ever participated in gambling related entertainment. A lot of it is because of the exposure it’s getting, which increases the familiarity with gambling. The fact that the industry is showing an even heavier commitment towards operating responsibly has had a positive impact on the community.
According to the research, more than half of all American Adults (55%) participated in some sort of gambling during the last year. As many as 28% gambled at a physical casino while 21% bet on sports.
Do You Find Casino Gambling Acceptable?
The answer to that question ended up being a big yes for a very impressive 88% of the American people. The question was regarding gambling being acceptable for either themselves or others.
When it comes to it being acceptable for them personally, there was an all-time high result with 59%. Again, clearly showing an increased acceptance for gambling and proof that the industry is heading in the right direction.
Another record setting percentage came when asked how many Americans had visited a casino last year, for either gambling or entertainment purposes. It turns out that as many as 122 million adults answered yes, which is as high as 49% of the population.
It’s an impressing number and I have to say that I was a little bit surprised at how high that is.
Source – American Gaming Association
Gambling is Innovative and High Value Entertainment
We can all agree that far from all entertainment is worth the money you’re spending but when it comes to gambling, most people give it a thumbs up. As a matter of fact, compared to other entertainment options, consumers see casino gambling as both innovative and high-value entertainment spending.
90% of casino visitors consider the entertainment provided by casinos to be innovative, while 89% believe that casinos offer good value for money compared to other entertainment options.
Casino Players are Getting Younger
For decades, casino gambling belonged to the elderly but these days, the average age for a player is dropping. A lot of it has of course to do with the innovation factor and the numbers are showing that the average age of the casino-goer has dropped quite a bit over the past 5 years.
In 2019 that age was 49.6 years while in 2024 it has dropped down to just 41.9 years.
Source – American Gaming Association
A Positive Impact on the Overall Economy
There are a lot of benefits that come with gambling and because of the legalization in certain states, a large majority (76%) of the people do recognize that legal gambling has a positive impact on the economy in the country as a whole.
Source – American Gaming Association
Local Economy is Striving
I’m glad to see people becoming more aware of the positive impact gambling has on the overall economy but what about the local economy? Yes, a lot of people credit the industry’s contributions to local economies, job creation and tourism:
- 85% say casinos bring entertainment and dining options to areas or regions that might not otherwise be able to attract them.
- 84% agree casinos increase tourism and bring conventions and meetings to areas where they are located.
- 83% say the industry provides jobs and investments domestically that cannot be outsourced to other countries.
- 80% agree that gambling creates good paying jobs.
Responsible Gambling
More and more Americans interact with the gambling industry and as they do, they are becoming increasingly aware of the industry’s commitment to responsibility, whether around gambling itself or in industry marketing practices.
As rules and regulations become stricter, casinos are forced to adjust the way they do business. With that comes a higher level of positivity and most of all trust from people and as a society as a whole.
While in 2018, only 40% believed the gambling industry is committed to encouraging responsible gambling and combating problem gambling. The latest percentage is at a much higher 65%.
Bear in mind that this number is people in general. When it comes to people who actively engage in gambling, the confidence is even higher. These numbers are as high as 81% of physical casino players and 88% of sports bettors.
This is another area that is showing a much higher percentage than last year when they were 70% and 78% respectively.
If you want to read more about Responsible Gambling, just click here.
Who Participated in the Survey?
The people contacted for the online survey used for the topics of “Responsible Gambling and Industry Perceptions” consisted of 2,000 registered voters, aged 21 and over.
Upwards and Onwards
I think we already know that the future is looking bright but I’m happy to see more surveys and numbers supporting the positive trajectory of the casino industry.
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