A new analysis from the American Gaming Association (AGA) finds that Americans wager a total $673.6 billion annually with illegal and unregulated gambling operators, diverting activity away from licensed operators and denying communities critical resources that fund infrastructure, education, and public safety.
Driven by a sharp rise in illegal iGaming, expanding use of unregulated skill machines, and persistent illegal sports betting, the illegal market has grown 22 percent since AGA’s last report in 2022. Growth in the legal market in recent years has kept the illegal market’s share of total U.S. gaming revenue largely steady—with illegal operators capturing smaller shares of sports betting and iGaming revenue—but illegal operators still account for nearly one-third (31.9 percent) of the total U.S. gaming market.
The illegal and unregulated gambling market generated an estimated $53.9 billion in annual revenue for offshore betting rings and unregulated machine operators, robbing state governments of $15.3 billion in taxes each year.
“Illegal gambling operators are thriving at the expense of American consumers, siphoning billions in tax revenue from state governments, and undercutting the efforts of the legal market,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “It’s time for a national crackdown on the pervasive illegal market that is draining state coffers and putting people at risk.”
Unregulated “Skill” Machines Findings
Unregulated machines remain one of the fastest-growing threats to legal gaming, with more than 625,000 machines now operating across bars, restaurants, and convenience stores, a 7.7 percent increase since 2022. These machines generated $30.3 billion in revenue, and cost states $9.5 billion in lost tax revenue. With no regulatory oversight, these machines pose serious risks to consumers and communities alike.
iGaming Findings
Illegal online slots and table games reached $18.6 billion in revenue—up nearly 38 percent since 2022. Most concerning, the share of iGamers who play only on legal sites fell from 52 percent in 2022 to just 24 percent today, while the share using both legal and illegal sites soared to 49 percent, nearly tripling in just three years. Despite this growth, illegal operators hold a smaller share of the total U.S. iGaming market than they did three years ago.
Sports Betting Findings
Americans wagered an estimated $84 billion with illegal bookies and offshore sportsbooks in the past year, generating $5 billion in revenue and causing $1 billion in tax losses. Compared to 2022, the share of sports bettors exclusively using illegal sites fell by a third, and illegal sportsbooks’ share of the total U.S. sports betting market fell from 36 percent to 24 percent. One in ten sports bettors still wager exclusively with illegal sources.
“These bad actors operate in the shadows with zero consumer protections, no responsible gaming obligations, and no economic return to the communities they exploit,” added Miller. “Combating them requires not only stronger U.S. enforcement, but also continuing to work closely with our international partners to shut down offshore operators and hold them accountable.”
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