In an open statement, the American Gaming Association (AGA) described itself as being “filled with optimism” after taking stock of 2024.
The company pointed to the North American industry’s sustained year-over-year commercial gaming growth, with 2024 revenues up seven per cent through October.
It conceded that the growth has been driven mostly by the online gaming and sports betting sectors, but added that land-based operations have shown “strong resilience in the face of macroeconomic headwinds.”
“As we approach year-end, the industry remains well on track to surpass last year’s record US$67bn in annual commercial gaming revenue,” the company said.
It also pointed to reasons to be optimistic going forward. The age of the average casino visitor, it pointed out, has dropped from 50 to 42, which, it said, “speaks volumes about our industry's ability to evolve and attract new generations of customers.”
In addition, it claimed gaming “transcends political divides,” with its most recent research finding seven in 10 Harris voters and seven in 10 Trump voters support gaming. “They see the positive impact we have on communities: creating jobs, driving tourism and generating tax revenue. This bipartisan embrace will be crucial as we work with a new Trump administration, new Congress and new state legislators in the coming year,” it said.
The AGA also promised that, in the coming year, it will launch a new responsible gaming campaign to “further unite the industry, raise the bar higher and communicate a new narrative. This evolved approach to responsible gaming will be underpinned by deep consumer insights and will spotlight the industry’s steadfast commitment to responsibly helping our customers have a fun, enjoyable experience.”
