The U.S. commercial gaming industry set a new benchmark in April 2025, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) hitting $6.18 billion, according to new figures released by the American Gaming Association (AGA) . This marked a 5.6% year-over-year increase and the strongest April performance on record. The gains build on a four-year streak of consistent industry growth.
From January through April 2025, total commercial gaming revenue climbed to $25.11 billion—surpassing the previous year’s pace by 6.2%. Of the 37 jurisdictions that operated commercially a year ago and had full April data available, 30 reported revenue growth.
Digital Expansion Anchored by iGaming Boom
Online gaming continued to show strong momentum, with combined online sports betting and iGaming revenue increasing 10.9% year-over-year in April. That growth was largely propelled by iGaming, which surged 32.5% to $870.6 million across the seven states where it’s legal.
As the AGA noted, “Online revenue expansion was driven by iGaming (+32.5%), while online sports betting revenue grew by just 0.7%.”
For the first four months of the year, iGaming generated $3.39 billion—up 28.5% compared to the same period in 2024. Every state where iGaming is legal reported year-to-date gains.
Traditional Casinos and Retail Betting Hold Steady
Land-based gaming also posted a solid April performance. Combined revenue from casino slot machines and table games grew by 1.9% to reach $4.14 billion, with slot machines bringing in $3.06 billion—a 2.5% rise—while table games earned $761.8 million, down 2.0%. These figures exclude states like Michigan and Louisiana, which report combined totals for both categories.
Retail sports betting saw a dramatic rise, with revenue climbing 128.7% compared to April 2024. When combining online and land-based sports betting, April revenue reached $1.16 billion across 33 jurisdictions (excluding Arizona, which had not released data), up 3.4%. Americans wagered $12.44 billion on sports during the month—an 8.9% increase from the previous year.
Year-to-date sports betting revenue stood at $5.08 billion, 10.8% higher than in the first four months of 2024. The national hold rate slipped to 9.4%, a 60 basis point decrease.
Top Revenue Generators and Fastest-Growing States
Nevada maintained its position as the nation’s leading gaming market, recording over $5 billion in GGR between January and April. It was followed by Pennsylvania ($2.4 billion), New Jersey ($2.1 billion), and New York ($1.8 billion).
Among states with the most impressive growth, Nebraska experienced a staggering 154.7% increase in GGR compared to April 2024. The District of Columbia was close behind with a 135% gain, and 16 additional states posted double-digit percentage increases.
Pockets of Decline Amid Broad Expansion
While the national trend remained positive, a few states reported year-over-year decreases in April revenue. North Carolina saw a 55% drop following the March 2024 launch of online sports betting. Vermont, which banned individual player prop bets in 2024, experienced an 8.4% dip. Indiana (-3.3%), Florida (-1%), and Iowa (-0.3%) also recorded smaller declines.
Despite these localized downturns, the broader U.S. gaming market continues to benefit from expanding access, growing digital adoption, and consistent player engagement.
Source:
“Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker”, americangaming.org, Jun 18, 2025
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