Gambling Statistics: A Comprehensive Overview

How much do you know about gambling? Are you familiar with different gambling demographics and trends? Do you know any fun or surprising gambling facts? Would you like to discover some more?

Certain gambling statistics provide great insight into the state of gambling in the US and worldwide and some numbers that we’ll focus on in this blog will show you just how much gambling habits differ from country to country, which casino games are more popular in one location compared to others, how prevalent problem gambling is on the whole, and more.

Ultimate Guide to Gambling Statistics

To understand where gambling is at the moment and where it’s headed, we’re going to look at some incredible numbers from the past several years.

We will start with some global gambling statistics shown through market research done by a specialized firm, then look at the differences between the American gambling statistics and other countries (such as Italy, UK, etc.), then investigate the differences - if any - between different demographics, follow that up with some AskGamblers-focused stats, and, finally, go over the numbers regarding problem gambling.

Global Gambling Statistics

Online gambling is a multi-billion dollar industry, as shown through these incredible worldwide gambling statistics:

According to data from the market research firm H2 Gambling Capital, the global online gambling market was valued at approximately $45.8 billion in 2018
According to data from the market research firm H2 Gambling Capital, the global online gambling market was valued at approximately $46.96 billion in 2019
According to data from the market research firm H2 Gambling Capital, the global online gambling market was valued at approximately $53.7 billion in 2020
According to data from the market research firm H2 Gambling Capital, the global gambling market was valued at approximately $450 billion in 2018
According to data from the market research firm H2 Gambling Capital, the global gambling market was valued at approximately $465 billion in 2019
According to data from the market research firm H2 Gambling Capital, the global gambling market was valued at approximately $481 billion in 2020

Graph for online gambling market for 2018 - 2020

Interesting Global Gambling Statistics

Here are some more interesting gambling statistics, some of which will truly put into perspective just how popular online and land-based gambling is:

According to Statista, the United State of America had 466 commercial and 515 tribal casinos operating nationwide in 2021
According to Travel Weekly, more than 32.2 million people visited Las Vegas casinos in 2021 which is almost double than 2020's 19 million
73% of Vegas visitors in 2021 said they were there to gamble
According to Nevada Gaming Commission the revenue from January to September 2022 for land-based casinos is $10.6 million
According to Statista, the total gross gaming revenue of U.S. casinos amounted to approximately 53.03 billion U.S. dollars in 2021
According to Zion Market Research online gambling market was worth about $61.5 billion in 2021

Graph for gambling market for 2018 - 2020

Gambling Statistics by Countries

You’ve probably already guessed gambling statistics differ from country to country. Naturally, there are numerous reasons why this might be the case. The most relevant factors are usually cultural and social norms of one nation or country, its legal and regulatory frameworks, and even the availability and accessibility of different types of gambling.

United States

While gambling is legal under United States federal law, all states may regulate gambling within their borders as they see fit. That means that different states allow different types of gambling.

In 2021, gross gaming revenue in the United States reached $53 billion, after growing significantly during 2020 as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was the market revenue value in 2021, as shown through quarters:

Q1 - $11.13 billion
Q2 - $13.6 billion
Q3 - $13.89 billion
Q4 - $14.31 billion

In total: $14.31 billion

Macau

Gambling has been legal in Macau since the 1850s. Back then it was the Portuguese government that had legalized gambling activities, and since then, Macau has been known as the "Gambling capital of the world" and even "Monte Carlo of the East".

As of 2019, Macau has 41 casinos, of which the biggest casino and one of the most famous ones is The Venetian Macao.

According to Statista, the gambling revenue in Macau in 2021 reached approximately $1 billion.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, gaming machine providers, gambling software providers, lottery operators, external lottery managers, and remote gambling (online and by phone) are regulated by the Gambling Commission.

As of 31 March 2021, there were a total of 2,439 operators licensed by the Gambling Commission.

During the period between April 2021 and March 2022, the industry generated a GGY of £14.08 billion, which translates to $17 billion. This was an increase compared to the previous year with its total of £12.69 billion.

Italy

According to Italian criminal law, gambling is illegal. However, the Italian government says there is a difference between games of chance and skill-based games. Sports-betting, lotteries, and some other activities are recognized as legal gambling activities.

That said, only the State has the power to allow gambling and gambling in Italy is regulated by AAMS. AAMS has the power to issue licenses.

Statistics state that Italy saw a yearly revenue of €111 billion ($118 billion).

Countries yearly revenue for the gambling market 2021

Gambling Demographics

Gambling activities tend to differ from country to country, so it’s hard to make generalizations in this case. However, certain research shows that there are differences between gambling trends and habits of men and women, as shown below.

10 Interesting Statistics about Women and Gambling

As stated beforehand, certain differences have been noted between the gambling tendencies of men versus women, as shown by the following statistics:

In certain countries, women are more likely to gamble than men; this includes Canada, where 56% of women report having gambled in the past year, compared to 48% of men - "Prevalence of gambling and problem gambling in Canada: Findings from the Canadian Community Health Survey" by Elton-Marshall, T., Welte, J. W., & Derevensky, J. (2013)
In the United States, women are more likely to play lottery games and scratch cards than men, while men are more likely to engage in sports betting and casino games - "Gambling Participation and Problem Gambling Among Women in the United States" by Shaffer, H. J., LaBrie, R. A., LaPlante, D. A., Kidman, R. C., & Donato, A. N. (2009)
Women are more likely to gamble for social or entertainment purposes, while men are more likely to gamble for financial gain - "Gender differences in the characteristics of pathological gamblers using the South Oaks Gambling Screen" by Petry, N. M., & Weinstock, J. (2007)
Women are more likely to experience negative consequences from gambling, such as financial problems, relationship problems, and mental health issues - "Gender differences in the negative consequences of gambling" by Dowling, N. A., Smith, G. J., & Thomas, S. (2008)
Women who gamble are more likely to report experiencing problems with their gambling, such as feeling guilty or ashamed, losing more money than intended, and having difficulty stopping - "Gender differences in the prevalence and characteristics of pathological gamblers using DSM-IV criteria" by Petry, N. M., Stinson, F. S., & Grant, B. F. (2005)
Women who gamble are more likely to have co-occurring mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety - "The prevalence and correlates of co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders in the United States: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions" by Grant, B. F., Stinson, F. S., Dawson, D. A., Chou, P. S., Dufour, M. C., Compton, W., … & Pickering, R. (2004)
Women who gamble are more likely to report feeling lonely, stressed, or anxious before gambling - "Gambling and problem gambling among college students: A review of the literature" by Petry, N. M., & Weinstock, J. (2007)
Women who gamble are more likely to have lower levels of education and income than men who gamble - "Gambling and problem gambling among low-income women: Prevalence and correlates" by Dickerson, M. G., & O'Neil, J. M. (2008)
Women who gamble are more likely to report gambling to escape from problems or to cope with negative emotions - "Gambling and problem gambling among college students: A review of the literature" by Petry, N. M., & Weinstock, J. (2007)
Women who gamble are more likely to seek help for their gambling problems, but they may also face barriers to accessing treatment, such as stigma, lack of awareness, and lack of availability of specialized services - "Barriers to treatment seeking among pathological gamblers" by Petry, N. M., & Weinstock, J. (2007)

AskGamblers Gambling Statistics

While these stats are ever-changing, and the numbers keep growing daily, at the time of writing these were the most important AskGamblers gambling statistics:

We have helped over 18,300 players via our Casino Complaint Service
AskGamblers has returned over $52,615,312 via our Casino Complaint Service
Over 2,544 casinos have been reviewed by our experts
Over 10,420 slots have been published
There are over 143,000 forum posts on our website

Gambling Addiction Statistics

Problem gambling is said to be any gambling behaviour that compromises or disrupts one’s personal, family, or work endeavours. There are ways to notice and monitor such behavioural patterns, which is why it’s important to be aware of gambling addiction facts.

Some Staggering Gambling Addiction Statistics

When it comes to gambling addiction, the numbers are truly not insignificant. In fact:

Approximately 2.6% of the US adult population battles gambling addiction, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling
About 1% of the adult population in the United States are pathological gamblers, while another 2-3% are considered to be problem gamblers, as estimated by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago
Men are more likely to develop a gambling addiction than women, with a ratio of about 3:1, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that between 2-3% of children in the United States have a gambling problem
The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that gambling addiction costs the United States between $6 billion and $15 billion each year
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 80% of people with a gambling addiction report having experienced physical or emotional abuse during their childhood
Gambling addiction has been linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse
People who have a family history of addiction or mental health issues are at a higher risk of developing gambling addiction
Gambling addiction can lead to financial problems, including bankruptcy, debt, and loss of property and assets
Treatment of gambling addiction often includes therapy, support groups, and medication

How Old do You Have to Be to Gamble?

The answer to how old you have to be to gamble depends on your location and, in some cases, citizenship.

In general, most countries require you to be at least 18 years old to be able to gamble. However, there are some exceptions:

In Belgium and Estonia, you must be 21 to register and play at casinos.
Citizens of Georgia and Malta must be 25 to participate in gambling.
Countries like India, Armenia, and Malaysia require players to be at least 21.
Gambling is entirely illegal in some countries, like Thailand and China, except for the national lottery.

These exceptions are not the full list, and if you want to register at a casino, we recommend looking into the local laws before playing.

What Is the Future of Gambling?

In truth, no one can fully predict what’s next for gambling as it’s an ever-changing, ever-growing industry. However, certain predictions say that by 2025 online sportsbooks will overtake land-based sports betting in the United States.

Sources

All of the gambling statistics found on this page were gathered from reputable sources, including, but not limited to:

Gambling Statistics: A Comprehensive Overview of the Gambling Industry