US commercial gaming revenue grew 25.1 per cent through April to $4.39bn due to rising vaccination rates, an overall positive trend in consumer spending, and continuing momentum in the sports betting and igaming verticals, says the American Gaming Association.
Publishing the results of its latest Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker, the group reports that the performance was the second highest grossing gaming revenue month ever, falling just two per cent shy of March’s $4.8bn as a result of a 31.7 per cent drop in sports betting receipts.
Nationwide revenue from igaming reached $299.9m during the month, which represents a 142.1 per cent uplift year-on-year but the first month-over-month decline (-3.6 per cent) since November 2020.
Commercial sports betting revenue in April, the early stages of which brought an end to March Madness, dropped 31.7 per cent month-on-month to generate $240.3m.
Combined revenue from the two activities accounted for more than 12.5 per cent of all US commercial gaming revenue in April, down slightly from 14.8 per cent in March, but well above pre-pandemic levels.
Fewer operating restrictions is said to have supported April’s growth, with eight of 25 traditional casino states allowing properties to operate at full occupancy.
Of America’s 463 commercial casino properties, approximately 80 per cent remained constrained to between 25 per cent (New York) and 75 per cent of full occupancy, and with lingering limitations on game capacity and other amenities.
Traditional gaming revenue (slot and table games) in April totalled $3.79bn, outperforming the previous month by 0.9 per cent and falling just 1.7 percent shy of a record.
Monthly revenue from casino slot machines was at an all-time high in April ($2.88bn), while table games revenue is now almost back to pre-pandemic levels ($622.7m).
Of the 25 commercial gaming states that were operational two years ago, only the four of Illinois, Maine, Rhode Island and West Virginia, saw total April gaming revenue drop compared to 2019. However, the former is expected to show positive growth once sports betting data is released later this month.
