Americans gamble an estimated $511 billion a year on illegal iGaming sites, whose operators cost the government an estimated $13.3 billion in lost taxes.
These lost tax costs annually from illegal gambling are $2.5 billion more than legal operators generated in 2021 ($11.7 billion). Furthermore, illegal gaming cost the legal industry $44.2 billion in lost revenue, close to $92 billion in total between tribal and commercial revenues in 2021, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA) itself.
Bill Miller, CEO and President of the AGA, stated: “Illegal gambling is the scum of our society, taking advantage of vulnerable consumers, evading their obligations and robbing communities of taxes for infrastructure, education and more. We have always known that the illegal market is expanding, but this report shows how harmful it is.”
Illegal iGaming bets total $337.9 billion on unregulated online sites, resulting in a loss of $3.9 billion in profit taxes. According to data obtained by state regulators, the percentage of operators of unregulated machines is significantly higher than legal casino machines.
There are a wide variety of fully legal and safe American casinos, but they are only available in six states, which is why half (48%) of Americans who played online slots or gambling did so at illegal casinos.
The AGA has long been aware of the threat of the black market and is stepping up its efforts against it. In early 2022, the association launched new tools to combat illegal gambling. The solution, called the Stop Illegal Gambling Toolkit, includes email messages, fact sheets and social media content. The aim is to help the legal sector communicate consistently and support engagement on the matter.
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