What a year it’s been. As I take stock of 2024, where we are as an industry and where we’re headed, it fills me with optimism.
Our industry continues to demonstrate its strength, reaching new audiences and creating experiences that were hard to imagine just a few years ago. From the exciting and ongoing convergence of sports, gaming, and entertainment to our industry’s continued expansion into new markets – we’re redefining what it means to be in the gaming business today.
By the numbers, we’ve seen sustained year-over-year commercial gaming growth, with 2024 revenues up 7% through October. While this growth has been driven primarily by the continued expansion of online gaming and sports betting, our traditional brick-and-mortar operations have shown strong resilience in the face of macroeconomic headwinds. As we approach year-end, the industry remains well on track to surpass last year’s record $67 billion in annual commercial gaming revenue. We can point with pride to growth across every gaming vertical. This growth not only reflects increased consumer engagement, but also underscores the industry’s role as a significant driver of economic impact nationwide.
Even as we’ve achieved this success, we’ve overcome significant challenges – from combating illegal offshore operators to taking on new actors who seek to circumvent foundational gaming laws. Our victory against illegal skill game operators in Virginia, for example, was a pivotal win, but we know we must stay vigilant and prepared. What encourages me most is how we’ve tackled these challenges as an industry: united and focused on our unwavering commitment to enter every market through the front door, doing business the right way with transparency and strong regulatory oversight.
Looking ahead to 2025, I see tremendous opportunity:
The age of our industry’s average casino visitor has dropped from 50 to 42, a shift that speaks volumes about our industry’s ability to evolve and attract new generations of customers. As we look to 2025, we expect the sports, gaming and entertainment convergence to continue, creating new opportunities to innovate across platforms and deliver seamless, integrated and immersive experiences.
In an era of increased ideological polarization, it’s particularly gratifying to see how gaming has transcended political divides. Our recent research found seven in ten Harris voters and seven in ten Trump voters support gaming. They see the positive impact we have on communities: creating jobs, driving tourism, generating tax revenue. This bipartisan embrace will be crucial as we work with a new Trump administration, new Congress and new state legislators in the coming year.
Of course, none of this would be possible without our industry’s fundamental commitment to responsible gaming – it’s rooted in our leadership and enables sustainable growth. Next year, the AGA will launch a new campaign to further unite the industry, raise the bar higher, and communicate a new narrative. This evolved approach to responsible gaming will be underpinned by deep consumer insights and will spotlight the industry’s steadfast commitment to responsibly helping our customers have a fun, enjoyable experience.
As we close out the year, I’m grateful for your continued engagement and leadership. Our industry’s strength lies in our ability to work together, adapt to change and stay focused on delivering world-class entertainment experiences.
I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous new year.
