Casinos worldwide - statistics & facts

The commercial casino industry has seen significant growth over the last few decades. Thanks to the ongoing legalization of gambling-related activities and the growth of the experience economy in many parts of the world, licensed casinos have expanded to new markets and generated record-breaking revenue figures. In 2021, the market size of the casino and online gambling industry worldwide reached a total of 231 billion U.S. dollars. That being said, the brick-and-mortar casino industry has faced significant challenges with the rise of online gambling and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which caused many casinos to close their doors to the public. However, this industry is still expected to see growth, for example, the total revenue of casinos in the U.S. was forecast to increase year over year from 2021 to 2024.

Casinos in the United States: Placing all bets on Las Vegas?

Whether land-based, on riverboats, or at racetracks, casinos are among the most popular gambling establishments in the United States. Over the last few years, the number of commercial and tribal casinos in the U.S. have remained relatively consistent, with 466 commercial and 515 tribal casinos operating nationwide in 2021. Today, the U.S. is home to many of the world's leading casino companies and perhaps the most widely known gambling destination in the world: Las Vegas, Nevada. Every year, the famous Las Vegas Strip attracts millions of visitors who want to try their luck at poker tables and slot machines or who want to enjoy the casinos' various hotel and restaurant services, live shows, and entertainment options. Thanks to this influx of American and international tourists (before COVID-19), Nevada remains the U.S. state with the highest gross gaming casino revenue in the country.

Is Macao the new Las Vegas?

While Las Vegas remains the gambling and entertainment capital of the U.S., Macao has been fighting for its place as the global casino capital since the early 2000s. As one of the two Special Administrative Regions of China, Macao is the only part of China where commercial gambling is legal, which makes it one of the country's most thriving tourism hubs and an attractive playground for international investors. After a wave of casino openings, Macao has become a leader in the global casino market with an annual gross gambling revenue of over 87 billion Macau patacas. How Macao will fare in the future will depend in part on the fallout from COVID-19. As gambling made up a large portion of Macao's economy and the city-wide casino closures impacted the region severely in 2020, a swift recovery may not be in the cards anytime soon.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Sep 7, 2023

Key insights

Market size of of the casino and online gambling sector worldwide
262bn USD
Total number of open casinos worldwide
5.67k
Leading casino company by revenue worldwide
MGM Resorts
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