The United States could generate up to $15 billion in tax revenue if online casinos are legalized across all states

A London-based research firm, Vixio, commissioned by gaming company Light & Wonder, has examined the potential impact of widespread online casino legalization in the United States on the country's tax revenues. Currently, online gambling is legal in only seven states: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
The researchers concluded that if 44 states were to permit online casinos, the country could potentially generate between $9 billion and $15 billion (approximately 803.2 billion to 1.34 trillion rubles) annually in tax revenue. Additionally, the gross revenue of the national iGaming market could rise to $50 billion (around 4.46 trillion rubles) per year.
Statistics indicate that online casinos are a more lucrative business for the U.S. than sports betting. In 2023, the country collected $1.61 billion (143.7 billion rubles) in tax revenue from the iGaming industry across six states. This figure does not include Rhode Island, where online gaming was legalized only in March 2024. In contrast, the sports betting industry generated $2.06 billion (183.9 billion rubles) in tax revenue for the U.S. in 2023, but this was achieved across 29 states where sportsbooks were legal at that time.
Another argument in favor of online casinos is that three of the six jurisdictions with legal iGaming are among the least populated states in the country. West Virginia ranks 39th, Rhode Island 44th, and Delaware 45th in terms of population. Vixio researchers believe that if online casinos were legalized in more populous states, such as New York or California, their gaming revenue would surpass that of the current markets.
Last year, the total gross revenue from iGaming in the six jurisdictions reached a record $6.17 billion (550.7 billion rubles), marking an increase of nearly 23% compared to 2022. Notably, over 90% of this total came from densely populated regions—New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Interestingly, there are ongoing efforts in the U.S. to develop comprehensive legislation for the legalization of iGaming.