The American Gaming Association (AGA) has released a sobering new report revealing the significant and growing impact of illegal gambling in the United States, highlighting the urgent need for a national response. Here are the key takeaways:

📊 Scope and Scale of Illegal Gambling

• $673.6 billion is wagered annually by Americans through illegal operators, including:

  • Unlicensed sports betting

  • Illegal iGaming (online gambling)

  • Unregulated skill games

• These activities account for nearly one-third (31.9%) of the total U.S. gaming market.

💰 Economic Impact

• Illegal gambling operators earn an estimated $53.9 billion in annual revenue.

• This translates into $15.3 billion in lost taxes for states and communities — revenue that could fund:

  • Education

  • Public safety

  • Infrastructure

  • Healthcare and more

🔍 Segment Breakdown

• Illegal Sports Betting:

  • $84 billion wagered in the last year

  • $5 billion in illegal revenue

  • $1 billion in lost tax revenue

• Illegal iGaming:

  • Annual revenue has grown 38% since 2022 to $18.6 billion

  • Legal participation is dropping: Only 24% of iGamers use legal sites exclusively (down from 52% in 2022)

  • 49% use both legal and illegal sites – a troubling rise

• Unregulated Skill Machines:

  • Approximately 625,000 machines nationwide

  • Generate $30.3 billion in revenue

  • Cause $9.5 billion in tax losses

  • Up 7.7% since 2022

⚠️ Consumer and Regulatory Risks

• Illegal operators:

  • Pay no taxes

  • Provide no consumer protections

  • Do not adhere to responsible gaming standards

  • Undermine legal, regulated markets

🗣️ Call to Action

Bill Miller, President & CEO of the AGA, emphasized:

He advocates for:

• Federal and state enforcement coordination

• Stronger consumer education

• Enhanced regulatory tools and cooperation

🧭 Conclusion

The AGA’s report is a clear warning: the illegal gambling market is expanding fast, outpacing regulation and enforcement. Without action, both public safety and state economies are at risk.

If you’d like, I can summarize this into a shorter briefing, convert it to a slide deck outline, or help create a press release or talking points based on it.