US gaming revenue down 31% in 2020

US commercial gaming revenue totalled $30bn in 2020, down more than 31 per cent year on year, according to the American Gaming Association.

2020 marked the first market contraction for the US gaming industry since 2014 and the lowest gaming revenue total since 2003. The year ended with some positive momentum in the fourth quarter, with a 1.7 per cent increase in revenue over Q3 2020. The nearly $9.2bn  in revenue still represented a 17 per cent year on year decrease.   

“Covid-19 devastated our business and the employees and communities across the country that rely on casino gaming’s success,” said AGA president and CEO Bill Miller.

“We have persevered by leading responsible reopening efforts, supporting our employees and extending a hand to our communities. Still, these numbers show the economic realities of Covid-19 and underscore the importance of targeted federal relief and ramped-up vaccine distribution to accelerate gaming’s recovery in 2021.”