Geopolitical Uncertainty Does Not Stem US Gaming Industry’s Soaring Results

Geopolitical jitters appear to have done little to slow the momentum of the American gaming industry.

In its latest State of the States 2026: The AGA Survey of the Commercial Casino Industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) once again posted record revenue for the industry, with the generated revenue reaching a record $78.6 billion in 2025 alone, or a 9.1% gain on an annual basis.

Industry Remains Buoyant Despite Growing Uncertainty 

In terms of tax payments, the industry has contributed $17.9 billion to state and local governments, and gaming venues support 1.8 million jobs across the country, making it one of the largest sectors in the United States. 

The survey focuses on the 38 jurisdictions in the United States that run commercial casino gaming or sports betting operations, and often a combination of both. Commenting on these results, AGA president and CEO Bill Miller had this to add:

“These results are especially meaningful given the economic uncertainty that characterized much of 2025. They reflect the enduring appeal of legal, regulated gaming as a form of entertainment and the strength of the American blueprint for gaming that we have built together over decades.”

AGA president and CEO Bill Miller

The remarks come only days after the trade group shared its industry outlook report, with gaming CEOs remaining cautiously optimistic about the future of the industry, citing wage pressure, geopolitical uncertainty, and regulatory changes as some of their key challenges, but retaining a fairly upbeat outlook all the same. 

“Working alongside state and tribal regulators, attorneys general, and law enforcement, we successfully stopped the advance of sweepstakes casinos and saw them pushed out of many key markets,” Miller explained, commenting on the latest industry results.

The trade group’s boss did not use this opportunity to once again highlight AGA’s efforts against the fast-emerging prediction market sector, which has been cited as a threat to the established gaming industry.

AGA Escalates Criticism of Prediction Markets

He has called it an important fight that is at the very heart of the American gaming framework, arguing that the prediction market space lacked the necessary consumer protections and responsible gambling mechanisms to truly protect consumers who engage with the sector. 

“We mobilized the industry and our partners to address the growing threat of prediction markets offering sports betting outside of established state and tribal gaming law,” he added. 

However, not every gaming entity agrees, with DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel all severing ties with AGA over its belligerence against the sector at a time when the three companies – among others – have chosen to pursue growth in that space, seeing it as an inevitable part of the future. 

Miller’s criticism of the sector has spilled into outright mockery of the CFTC’s boss, most recently, whom the AGA boss called “a joke.”